Together With You: A Gaara Story
by Aishiteru Sabaku no Gaara
Summary: GaaraxOC Gaara and Shiruki were two childhood friends. They grew up together with inner demons. that is, until she was ripped away from him. 10 years later she returns. Can they pick up where they left off? Or is it too late, now that the damage is done..
1. Prologue: The Past

A/N: I do not own Gaara or any Naruto character except Shiruki, Hiruka and some others.

**The Past**

_Prologue_

Shiruki was walking through the forest, holding the hand of a red headed boy she knew as Gaara. She smiled at him. When she had first met him, Gaara was so emotionless and stand-offish. Now that they were hanging out every day, she had noticed a significant change in him. He had opened up to her and she was happy beyond words. She had shown him happiness and other emotions that he had been deprived of due to the villagers living in fear and killing his self esteem. She had restored it. And now they were best friends. She looked to Gaara and smiled, earning a shy smile in return. "So, Gaara, where to today?" she asked, her voice sweet music to his ears. She was his one and only true friend.

Gaara shrugged. "I don't know. Where do you wish to go to, Shiruki?" he asked, his voice lighter than the normal cold, lifeless one that usually sent chills down anyone's back. His red hair blew in the breeze as his icy blue eyes stared into his friend's.

Shiruki giggled. "Roof?" she smiled. Gaara nodded and was dragged to the rooftop by Shiruki. The wind blew her dark hair as she sat there contently. She had always loved the roof ever since Gaara had first brought her up here. But that was at least two years ago. Now, they were two years wiser. The villagers had accepted them. They did not fear them unless Shiruki or Gaara fell asleep. Their demons surfaced and attacked when they slept, not recalling anything the next morning. They had made that mistake once too many for the villagers' taste and they would not make it again. All they had was each other, along with Kankuro and Temari, and that was enough for both of them. Just being around each other brought joy to the other. "Isn't it beautiful, Gaara?" she asked, dazed as she looked out over all of the abandoned village they came to know as home. This one spot looked out over the whole place. It was the only secluded place that Gaara and Shiruki could truly be alone.

Gaara was snapped from his thoughts by Shiruki's angelic voice. He looked at her. Her long raven hair with red streaks blew in the wind as she sat cross legged on the roof, smiling that gorgeous smile of hers. Her icy blue eyes, that so closely resembled his own, shone in the moonlight. The moon gave her a goddess-like glow that made Gaara joyous to be in her presence. The two pinstripes on her cheeks gave her a cute appearance. He often dreamed of what she'd look like when she grew up. And it made him giddy. If he thought her beautiful now, then he'd love to see her once she was grown. The corner of his mouth curved in a crooked smile as he looked at her stare out over the village below them. He turned his attention back to the sight and nodded.

Shiruki smiled at him, seeing him looking at her and then nodding. She grabbed his hand, tenderly in hers, not breaking away from the beautiful sight of the moon shining over the lake. _'Could this moment get any better?' _she asked herself with a look of pure joy and happiness. "Hey, Gaara? Tomorrow...let's get Kankuro and Temari to walk with us to that tree to get some food." She glanced at him in time to see him nodding. He was in thought. She could tell. She was all too familiar with that look. She just smiled as he grasped her hand. He laid back on the roof and stared up at the sky. Shiruki did the same and never lost her smile. They laid there, in silence, loving the company of the other.

_The next day..._

"Hurry up, kitty!" Shiruki smiled as she ran with Gaara to the tree, followed by a lazy Kankuro and an even less enthusiastic Temari. Shiruki suddenly crashed into someone, earning a grunt from him and a bounce from her feet to her butt on the ground. She whimpered and looked up at him. "I'm really sorry!" she blushed, bowing respectfully as soon as she got back up to her feet.

The man merely chuckled. "Not a problem. You and your friend seem to be quite energetic. And fast too!" he smiled. His dark eyes burned into Shiruki's icy blue ones. His dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail with his hair spikey at the end of the tail. He had red facial markings like special ops under his eyes on his cheeks. He had the cheesiest smile Shiruki had ever seen. He donned a black shirt that showed off his physique perfectly with a crimson vest and black pants. His shoes were ninja shoes and the color was the same red as the vest. "Oh, forgive me! Where are my manners...I am Hiruka Minamoshi. Nice to meet you, little one," he said with a bow.

Shiruki smiled and curtsied in response. "Nice to meet you, Hiruka-sensei. I'm Shiruki! And this is Gaara!" she said pointing to Gaara happily who glared in return. He still needed help on his people skills.

Hiruka's eyes widened in surprise. "Ah! So you're Shiruki! I was sent from the Leaf Village to train you. What luck I have!" he chuckled. Shiruki gave him a confused look. "Allow me to explain...Lord Hokage sees a special talent in you. I'm not exactly sure what...but I have no choice but to trust him," he smiled. "So you see...you'll have to come with me right away. I only have a month to train you. And we have alot to-"

Shiruki's eyes widened and she clutched onto Gaara. "No! I don't wanna leave!" she cried. "I am a Sand Village member and I will remain to be that way!" she sniffled. "I'm not going anywhere!" she cried as she hugged Gaara tighter.

Gaara wrapped his arm around her protectively and glared at Hiruka who sighed. "Believe me...I wish you could stay here as well...but Lord Hokage specifically told me to retrieve you. Once you're done, you are more than welcome to come back and regain your position in the village hidden in the sand. But now is not that time. Now, come on."

Temari looked from Kankuro to Gaara who looked a bit angry and hurt. This wasn't good. His anger set off the demon. He hand't learned to control it yet. Temari stepped up and glared at Hiruka. She turned her sights to Shiruki who was clutching to Gaara as if he were her only lifeline. "Shiru...it's only a couple of months...and he said you could come back," Temari said, trying to convince herself as well. She noticed Gaara's hold on her tighten and she sighed. "Gaara...she can make her own decisions." Gaara glared at her then lowered his head and dropped his arm from Shiruki's waist. Shiruki turned to Temari, tears streaming down her face. "How about this...you go now and Gaara, me, and Kankuro will wait for you. We won't do anything fun until you return to us," Temari smiled. "Sound good?" Shiruki sniffled and looked at Gaara who showed his sadness for the first time in a while. Shiruki lowered her head.

Shiruki looked back to Gaara before nodding at Temari. "Alright. But you can't change. And be sure to look after Gaara while I'm not here. I don't want him to go back the way he was. He's come so far..." she trailed off. She glanced at Gaara and saw him glare at Hiruka. She hugged him tightly and felt him hug her back after a while. "Don't ever forget me..." she whispered as she kissed his cheek. She pulled back to look at Gaara and saw his eyes water but he refused to let tears fall. He shook his head and Shiruki smiled the best she could. She reluctantly let go and walked over to Hiruka's side.

"Alright. Ready to go?" he asked with a smile. Shiruki glared at him and Temari and Kankuro laughed, earning a glare from Gaara. They stopped and averted their glances. Hiruka smiled and lifted Shiruki up on his shoulders. He started to walk away. That was the last Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro ever saw of Shiruki.

A/N: The story begins in the next chapter. This is my first fanfic so be nice. I'm not gonna beg you to R&R cuz personally...I find that rather annoying...


	2. A Fated Reunion

A/N: I don't own nor do I wish to own Naruto or Gaara or any other characters. Shiruki and Hiruka are mine

**Chapter 1: A Fated Reunion**

_10 years later..._

After her training was completed and a couple of missions were completed, Shiruki decided to return to the Sand village. She had forgotten her past. She remembered nothing. As she walked, she felt compelled to stop in the same spot that she had been ripped away from at such a tender age of 6. The way Shiruki remembered was that she was there alone. No one accepted her and no one ever would. She was fine with that. But then, just as she was about to give up hope of her ninja training, Hiruka informed her of a sensei in the Sand Village that caught word of her. He wished for her to come and join his team. Hiruka accepted the offer for her, knowing Shiruki would thank him later. All Shiruki cared about, however was getting away from the stupid sensei that she'd been under the care of for the past ten, long, excruciating years. Finally, the day came. Hiruka sent her off with her Sand Village clothes that looked familiar to Shiruki. Nonetheless, she donned them and went on her way. Now, she stood in the Sand Village, not recognizing anything. No one looked familiar. Some people ran up to her and claimed they knew her but she didn't recall and sent them away with a glare.

She'd been walking for over an hour now, looking for a "Baki." Still no show. Shiruki had progressed far beyond any other Sand ninja that the Leaf Village had known. As she walked, she heard a deep voice call out to her. "Shiruki!" the voice called. She looked up from her trance to see a man wearing some sort of cloth over his left side of his face. She found it odd but shrugged it off and picked up her pace. She wasn't particularly fond of working with others. Over the years, Shiruki's happy-go-lucky nature had diminished and hardened into a cold, unwelcoming attitude. Her smile had become an evil glare and her overall appearance had changed from happy, little girl, to cold, emotionless, heartless she-devil. She had learned to control sand along with other jutsu, such as Rasengan and Shadow Clone. Hiruka, though annoying and lazy, had taught her useful things. "Come. Your team mates are waiting," Baki continued. He led her off through the streets and into a room. There, a blond girl, a purple faced guy, and a red headed boy stood silently. "Everyone. This is your new team mate, Shiruki. Make her welcome," he said in a sort of monotone voice. With that, he left.

Shiruki stood there silently in the doorway, glaring at the boys and the single girl. The blond's eyes widened as if in recognition. "Another Gaara?" she sighed. She was cleaning her huge fan, sitting cross legged on a bed.

The purple faced guy rolled his eyes and grinned at Shiruki. "I don't know, Temari. She might be perfect for Gaara," he chuckled. "Maybe even show him things that other girl showed him so long ago," he added quietly.

The red headed boy glared at the two. He turned his glare back to Shiruki and averted his glance to outside the window he stood by. He clearly understood, it appeared. Shiruki could possibly get along with him if she must. The other two, however, seemed incompetent. She decided that she would waste none of her time getting to know them. With a glare at the ones that were looking at her, she sat on the couch silently with her arms still crossed over her chest. The girl known as Temari smiled and sat next to Shiruki. "Well, since we're working together, I'm Temari. My brother, Kankuro, is the idiot with the purple face. And Gaara is my other brother with the red hair. You and him are alike, from what I see," she smiled, jabbing her thumb back at Gaara. Shiruki looked at Kankuro, nodded, then to Gaara. Her sight lingered on him then nodded and returned her sight to Temari. "Not much of a talker, huh?" Shiruki glared at her and shrugged, emotionlessly.

Kankuro cleared his throat and walked up to the two on the couch. He took a seat next to Shiruki and draped his arm around her shoulders. She growled lightly and Kankuro chuckled. "So, Shiruki, how about we go get something to eat?" he grinned.

Shiruki growled and glared daggers at him. She shot up and disappeared in a pile of sand. She reappeared on the roof where she had been years before. She sat and stared out at the moon. How dare that guy act as if he knew her and expected her to be some kind of flitty girl that gushed over him. How pathetic. Shiruki had lost all her happiness when she was ripped away from her original village and sent to train with that idiot of a sensei. There was no need for emotions on her missions. And working with that Naruto Uzumaki? She hated him more than anything. Sasuke Uchiha wasn't all that bad. He wasn't as annoying. He had a bit of a superiority complex though, which slightly annoyed her. And Sakura...she just couldn't stand to see her gushing over Sasuke and get defensive when Sasuke ignored her. Shiruki rolled her eyes at the idiots of team mates she had to put up with all those years. She thanked the gods that she didn't have to put up with that ramen loving, loud mouth idiot called Naruto. Oh, but now, she was in another team. Baki seemed alright. He was guaranteed not to get on her nerves with his quick introduction and quick exit. Temari was slightly too friendly for her taste. Kankuro was just an idiot. She hated him already. But what she couldn't shake was that she felt compelled to speak with them like she'd known them for years. She threw that thought from her head with a quickness. _'No way in hell am I going to befriend idiots like those two,' _she resolved to herself. That red headed boy known as Gaara, however, seemed to strike her interest. It was if she recognized that glare from somewhere before. Like she, sometime before, were friends with them. She curled her knees to her chest and sighed quietly. As she got deeper and deeper in thought, minutes passed by. She heard footsteps behind her. They walked closer until they stopped beside her. She glared up at the intruder to see that it was Gaara. He glared back at her and sat next to her, staring out over the abandoned landscape before them, looking at the moon as well. "What do you want?" Shiruki asked venomously. Her words were acid. Her gaze lingered on Gaara before turning back to the moon.

Gaara remained silent. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye briefly. It seemed like eons until he finally spoke with the same cold, venomous words as she had produced minutes before. "Temari and Kankuro are looking for you," he said in more of a growl than speech. His gaze lingered on Shiruki's moonlit form. It reminded him of years before. At this same spot, same time of night. Shiruki and him had sat here on this same roof. Except now, her form had changed. Her long hair had gotten longer. It was nearly to her upper thigh. The red streaks contrasted beautifully with her black hair. Her eyes were still the same icy blue as he remembered. But now, instead of seeing the loving, happy look he loved so much, he saw bitterness and hatred smoldering that fire that Shiruki's eyes once held so long ago. Her attire had changed too. She now wore a black choker with a single blood red jewel dangling to her collarbone. Her pinstripes on her cheeks accented her face. She wore red baggy pants with bandages tied on her right leg, the look she loved as a kid and hoped to wear one day when she was older, and a black tight shirt with a mesh top over it that stopped at her elbows, resembling Gaara's mesh. Her village headband was tied to a sash that was wrapped around her hips and draped around her chest, tying at her hip with a piece dangling down her left leg. She wore black ninja shoes and wore a beaded bracelet that resembled prayer beads. Dangling from the center was a single crystal with what seemed like the symbol for "demon." He almost snickered at that. How fitting.

Shiruki noticed him staring and glared harshly at him. She scoffed with a low growl. "Your brother's an idiot. As for your sister, she's too friendly." She glared at him. "Stupidity better not run in the family," she growled with an undermining threat that he was sure she'd carry out. Her glare was harsh. Gaara's glare mirrored hers. He stifled a grin as she rolled her eyes and turned back to the moon.

Gaara crossed her arms over his chest and rested on his back, staring up at the sky like before. The only thing that was missing was Shiruki cuddling up to him. "No. It doesn't," he said, answering her threat.

Shiruki nodded and slowly eased onto her back, her arms behind her head in a relaxed position. Something was nagging her. A question she had to ask him. Something she had to know. Her undying curiosity hadn't changed over the years. "What did Temari and Kankuro mean?" she asked, attempting to still sound cold, but some of her childlike curiosity slipped out. Gaara blinked and tried to think of what she meant. Seeing that he was confused, Shiruki continued. "Temari...she said that you and I are alike. Though I don't see the likeness in _any_ way. And as for your idiot of a brother, he said that I'm perfect for you. What does he mean? Is it just their stupidity? Or is there something they are trying to suggest?" she asked accusingly.

Gaara quickly looked away to hide the grin he had acquired through her little ranting session. "I don't know," he lied. He knew exactly what they meant. And he figured she'd eventually find out by herself. It kind of stung Gaara that she was acting this way. He missed the happy her. The one that put a smile on his childlike face. The one that brought him happiness through the years of his miserable childhood. She was his light in the dark. The stars in his sky. His everything. His whole world. And now, she let the years change her for the worse. She was acting...She was acting just like...Just like...him.

Shiruki looked away. "Gaara? You're...not afraid of me?" she whispered. Gaara's eyes widened. The same question she had asked when they first met. If this was a joke, it was a sick one. He played along just like he had so long ago. "Why would I be?" he asked, coldly.

Shiruki looked at him with wide eyes, a first show of emotion, the same expression she had used back then. "You...don't know why?" Gaara, playing along again, shook his head. "I have a demon in me...I've killed-"

Gaara couldn't take it much longer. "Many people and have been shunned by the villages," he finished for her, mimicking the words she told him before. Shiruki nodded. "It was what happened to me," he said, knocking off that idea that he knew.

Shiruki looked at him. "Temari was right," she whispered. Gaara turned to Shiruki. Her face changed. It wasn't cold. It was just...blank, innocent. He nodded and Shiruki did something she hadn't done for ten years.

She smiled.

TBC...

A/N: alright. there's chapter 1. sorry if gaara's a little ooc...again, not gonna push you to R&R. could care less. just writing for fun. and if you have any questions or concerns...please feel free to email


	3. A Talk Between Friends and Realization

Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own any Naruto Characters except Hiruka, Shiruki, and some other characters that you will meet later on

**Chapter 2: A Talk Between Two Friends and a Realization**

Hours later...

As the sun was starting to rise and the moon set, Shiruki got up and went inside. Gaara had left long before. She went to the room that her and Temari had shared. She sat on the bed and stared off into space, recalling earlier events with Gaara. They talked as if they had known each other for years. It was strange that she would be this deep with a team member she only recently met. It was odd to her but for some reason, she embraced the bond without hesitation. She felt completed with Gaara. Like nothing in the world mattered except her time with him. And he had her smile. Something she hadn't done in years. Something she had nearly forgotten how to do. She didn't think it was ever possible to be this happy again. Laying there, Gaara's face popped in her head and her face felt hot. Her eyes widened as she realized that she was blushing. No one had ever made her blush in a while. Nor even get close enough to her to where she considered them friends. She didn't understand this feeling but she knew she liked it. She gingerly touched her hot cheek with her fingertips and a grin appeared on her lips. As she sat up, a knock came at the door. She quickly slapped on that glare that she had before she met them. She sighed lightly as she let her sand open the door. It was Kankuro, holding a tray of some sorts, grinning like the idiot he was. "What is it?" she asked coldly.

Kankuro grinned more at her coldness. He walked in, thinking it was alright, since the door hadn't slammed shut in his face. He looked down at her as he drew neared, holding a tray full of steaming food. "Dinner's ready. I brought you some," he said, sitting the tray on the table next to Shiruki's bed. He noticed Shiruki was about to protest so he continued, not giving her a chance to. "And before you reject it, Temari fixed it. It tastes fine. She insists that you and Gaara eat." Shiruki's glare only got more harsh as she stared at him. Kankuro grinned and crossed his arms, sitting on Temari's bed, across from Shiruki. "I'm not leaving until you eat," he said confidently, with an undermining stubbornness that reminded her of someone she had known before.

Shiruki glared and scoffed, laying back on the bed with her arms behind her head, giving Kankuro a perfect profile view of her. "Guess you're going to be sitting there forever then," she spat, evilly. She looked like an angel, just as she had when he remembered her. She had grown more voluptuous and fuller now, however. She looked like a true, gorgeous woman. The kind that Kankuro knew she would eventually become as years progressed. Gaara truly was lucky to have her by his side. It made Kankuro slightly jealous that his brother got such a beautiful woman. Shiruki's eyes were still the beautiful icy blue that resembled his brother's. When Kankuro looked into Shiruki's eyes, he only wanted her more. It was all he could do not to just steal her away and make her his. That would be unfair to Gaara. He kept his feelings inside, unmentioned, where he hoped they would die. They only grew. Shiruki saw him looking at her longingly. "Ech. What the hell are you looking at, cat boy?" she growled. The same name she used when she was a kid. Kankuro felt happy that even though she didn't remember her past with them, she at least remembered to insult him.

Kankuro chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "You're beautiful. You're Gaara's match for sure," he grinned.

Again with that comment. Shiruki wouldn't stand not knowing what he meant. She'd be damned if she would let him walk out of the room after saying that and not explaining his choice of words. She shot up into a sitting position and growled at him. "Just what do you mean by that?!" she all but shrieked. "That's the second time you've said that! Now explain!" she hissed.

Kankuro was a bit taken aback by her tone. He hadn't remembered this side of her, partly because it never existed unless her or Gaara were in danger. Kankuro smiled at her. "You mean you haven't gathered it for yourself?" he asked, taking amusement in her show of emotions. Shiruki tilted her head in confusion like she always had. "You're cute," he said simply. Shiruki blinked through her glare. She had never liked that word and Kankuro could see that she was about to explode at him. Instead of her yelling at him, however, she crossed her legs on the bed, turning to face him completely, knowing he'd explain to her. Kankuro sighed before continuing. "You and Gaara are in the same situation. As you may have already learned from him, he's been shunned by everyone because of his inner demon. Everyone flees in fear of him. Temari and I are all he has."

Shiruki felt bad for the first time she'd been with these three. She listened intently at his words, contemplating what he had said. It was true that her and Gaara were the same in this case. But as for anything else, she was not sure at the moment. This was for her to learn on her own by spending time with Gaara and getting to know him better. She would draw her own conclusions then. "He's lucky. I have no one. No one was there for me while I was going through that. No one has ever been there for me. Not Hiruka, not Sasuke, not Naruto...not even Kakashi...no one. I was alone. And I continue to be alone," Shiruki answered in her dark voice.

Kankuro was still trying to get used to her change. It took him a minute to get what she was implying. He looked at her oddly. "But that isn't true," he said, confused by her words. Shiruki looked at him. Her glare was gone. Her expression was blank. "You have Temari, me, and Gaara," he grinned with a slight wink. Shiruki's eyes widened a little at this statement. Her eyes watered a little and she quickly regained her glare, refusing to cry. She hadn't had anyone to help her through her change. No one accepted her. Not even her own team mates. She was alone. She was beside herself. Backed into a corner she couldn't escape from. "Ya see...when you joined the team, ya joined the family," he said softly.

Shiruki almost fell over at the word "family." She had longed to hear that word for as long as she could remember. All through the ten years of isolation, tears, and suffering, no one had once considered her family except that fool Naruto. And she hardly wanted him as family. She'd thought that he would get the clue every time she threatened him and glared at him but he kept insisting. Now that another person had said the same thing, she took what Naruto and Kankuro said at heart. She had a family. She had friends. She glared at Kankuro and lowered her head. He looked at her and tilted his head in confusion. "Family..." she said, almost hopeful like a little orphan that had been told she was loved for the first time.

Kankuro chuckled and sat next to her on her bed. He embraced her gently and patted her head softly. Shiruki gasped at his sudden nearness to her. First he called her family, now she was being held by him? She didn't understand. Was this happiness that she was feeling? Joy? Elation? These were somewhat new to her. "Yep. You, me, Gaara, and Temari." His voice was reassuring. Like he wasn't lying. It was heartful and soft and caring. Different from the impression she first had of him. He was slowly changing what Shiruki thought of him. Now, instead of looking at him as an incompetent perverted jerk, she looked at him as a caring big brother. She was family.

Shiruki's eyes widened at his speech. She slowly looked up at him, to find his face mere inches from hers. She thought nothing of it. She had a question and a realization. "You're...not afraid of me either?" she asked, staring into his dark eyes. Thought it was a stupid question, considering how long they've been with Gaara.

Kankuro grinned. "You're kidding!" Kankuro laughed. He hugged her again before getting up. "Being with Gaara so long, ya get used to it." He turned to Shiruki and grinned. He saw happiness in her eyes and gratitude. Her face was still twisted in a glare but he could tell that she was happy. She did that when he comforted her years ago so he was used to reading her. "Now, eat." He smiled and left, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Shiruki sat on the bed silently, staring at the shut door. _'Did that really happen?'_ she thought. She turned her attention to the food sitting on the table, eying it curiously, as soon as she caught scent of the enticing aroma. Steak with Ramen. Baki must have told Temari. She inched closer to it and took in its scent. Chicken Ramen. She cautiously picked up the bowl and her chopsticks. "So much for staying until I ate," she grinned. She started eating and to her surprise, it tasted just how she liked it. Strong, yet spicy.

After she was done, it was almost time for the moon to rise. She breathed deep and was about to leave when another knock came at the door. She growled quietly and reluctantly answered the door to see Temari and Kankuro standing there. "How was dinner?" Temari smiled.

Shiruki nodded and glanced at Kankuro. Her sighed returned to Temari. "Who told you?" she asked with the same coldness as before.

Temari grinned. "No one. You and I have similar tastes. I merely fixed it the way I'd like it."

Shiruki's brow twitched in annoyance. She refrained from killing Temari. Who was she to automatically assume that her and Shiruki had the same tastes? They were far from the same in Shiruki's eyes. Annoyed, she walked back to her bed and sat down, admiring the moon from her window. It was obvious that Kankuro and Temari would be here a while.

Temari sat on her bed with Kankuro. "Aren't you going on the roof with Gaara?" Kankuro teased.

Maybe it wouldn't be as hard to escape after all. Shiruki glared at Kankuro and disappeared. She was on the roof. She saw Gaara there first this time. She was about to disappear again when Gaara looked at her. She looked into his eyes and saw something that invited her and beckoned her to stay. He slowly turned his head back to the moon. Shiruki shrugged and sat next to him in silence. It was alright to stay here. He had basically invited her anyways with that look.

"You spoke with Kankuro," he more or less asked. Shiruki nodded. "Nonsense?" he asked, glaring at her. Shiruki hesitantly nodded. "Hesitation." He had her. He knew she was lying when she hesitated that long. He'd gotten used to it quickly. And he never forgot.

Shiruki looked at him. After a few minutes, she nodded once and turned away. "He brought me dinner. Spoke idiocy of me being your match again. Said Temari and him are all you have. And that I have all three of you. That I am...'family.' You and I are in the same situation, he says." She glanced at him to see his face a bright pink. She did a double take and stared. "Your face matches your hair...Gaara," she grinned.

Gaara glared at her and grinned. "Yours did last night," he countered with his cold voice. He would not lose so easily. After all, he was related to Kankuro. Stupidity may not run in the family...but stubbornness did.

Shiruki scoffed. "As if," she snickered and moved closer to Gaara only for him to move closer also. "You're not as bad as I thought you'd be," she whispered, bringing her knees to her chest again with a crooked grin.

Gaara grinned and decided to push it further. "How would you know?" he challenged.

Shiruki's turn to grin. "Let me rephrase that...you're not annoying like your idiot brother."

Gaara grinned. He rested an arm on his propped up leg and the other to prop him up. "We have met before." Shiruki glared at him, threatening to kill him with her penetrating glare if he didn't continue. He grinned and continued to clarify himself. "When we were kids."

TBC

A/N: alright. Chapter 2 is done. Woot. XD meh. Again...any questions/concerns, direct them to me through


	4. Remembrance

A/N: I wish I owned Gaara TT but sadly...he's not mine. Only in my dreams. Lol but meh. Shiruki is mine. And will always be mine. As will Hiruka and some other characters. Temari and Baki and Kankuro excluded.

**Chapter 3: Remembrance**

Shiruki thought back to her childhood, trying to see if Gaara was telling her the truth.

_-Memory-_

_Shiruki walked the streets. People ran from her screaming "Monster!" as they fled. Shiruki had fallen asleep the night before. And now she was being punished by the villagers' harsh words. Tears stained the young girl's face as everyone fled from her fragile form. Everyone hated her. Some boys came up to her with rocks in their hands. She looked at them with her sad blue eyes. The boys glared at her and threw the rocks, smacking Shiruki in the face. She yelped in pain as she fell to the ground and curled up in a ball, trying to protect herself from the vicious onslaught of sharp rocks. When the boys stopped yelling and cheering, along with the barrage of rocks, she looked up. She saw the boys frozen in fear, looking behind her. They dropped everything they had in their hands and ran away as fast as their feet could carry them, screaming, "Demon!" She watched them run and was suddenly picked up by sand. She squeaked in surprise. The sand turned her to be face to face with a red headed boy with icy blue eyes that mirrored her own. The boy hesitantly wiped away her tears. He let the sand set her back on her feet. She looked at the boy with a pink blush. Someone was being nice to her. She hugged him tightly. "Thank you!" she cried into his shoulder._

_The boy gasped and blushed. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around her and cried with her. They held each other and cried for a while. The boy knew how she felt and brought back horrible memories of what had happened to him. After he was done crying, he pulled away. "You're bleeding," he whispered quietly, bringing his hand up to her forehead where the rock had cut her. It was only a scratch, but it was a cut nonetheless and he was worried about her. He took his sleeve and gently wiped the blood away._

_Shiruki blushed and smiled. "You don't think I'm a monster?" she squeaked. This made the boy stop and look at her innocently. He shook his head and took his hand away from her forehead, seeing that the blood was gone. She smiled and hugged him, kissing his cheek gently. "Thank you so much. Let's be friends, okay?" she asked quietly, hoping he'd accept. He was the nicest person she'd met so far._

_The boy touched his cheek gingerly. "Friends?" he asked. He'd never heard the word before, to be honest. It had no meaning to him. It was just another word. He had no clue what friends were._

_Shiruki nodded. "Uh huh. We have each other since no one likes us." She was sad for a moment. She smiled again as she looked back to him. "I'm Shiruki. What's your name?" she smiled sweetly._

_He understood the word "friend." He understood its meaning for the first time. He'd never had anyone like that before except for his sister and brother. And even then, he felt that they were scared of him, too, at some times. The boy looked confused. "Gaara."_

_-End Memory-_

Shiruki's eyes widened at the memory. "Gaara..." she whispered. Gaara grinned at her recognition. She looked at him and a single tear fell from her eye. Gaara quickly wiped it away and Shiruki hugged him tightly, crying lightly into his shoulder. Gaara's eyes widened as Shiruki held him tight.

He slowly hugged her back. "You promised you wouldn't leave," he said quietly as his hold around her tightened, a sadness in his voice.

Shiruki sniffled. Everything came rushing back at her at once. All the memories that she had forgotten while on her ninja training, were returning to her, completing her, filling the void that she had felt after so long. "I had no choice. I had to train. You and I both know that. Hiruka wouldn't let me stay..." She looked up at him. She grinned and touched his cheek softly. "Besides...I'm here _now_." Gaara grinned also. He lightly held her wrist in his hand. Shiruki saw pain in his eyes. It hurt her to no end to know that she had hurt him. She did something that she vowed to never do to him. She caused him irreversible pain. The pain in his eyes reminded her of the day she left. "Gaara...I'm back. I don't want to go anywhere. I want to stay here...with you."

Gaara nodded. "You've changed." It was true. She was no longer happy and carefree. That was to be expected after ten years.

Shiruki lowered her head. "It was...unintentional." She felt herself being pulled closer. Again, she was being held like when they were kids. They brought comfort to each other back then. And it was no different now. "I missed you. I missed my friend." A sudden realization sank in. She looked up at him, staring deep into his eyes. "It's impossible to go back to how we were before, isn't it?" she asked emotionlessly, trying not to let it bother her as much. Gaara reluctantly nodded. They both knew it was far too late to go back to the way they once were. They have lost all emotions since then. There was no turning back. Shiruki sighed. "Then...let's start over?" she asked. Gaara nodded. Shiruki hugged him and sighed. This wasn't going to be as hard as she thought it to be. She had her friend back. The only friend she'd ever had through her sixteen years of life that accepted her. For once in ten years...she was happy. She was home. And having Gaara with her only made things better. He was her life and she was his. As long as they had each other, they could get through anything. Just like old times.

Meanwhile...

"Temari. You think she'll remember?" Kankuro asked, coming to the realization himself that they had met before. It was Gaara who had told them yesterday, only confirming their suspicions. After spending time with her on the roof, he was certain that Shiruki was the same Shiruki that they once knew years ago. The one that left them. The one that vowed to come back and be welcomed home with open arms. The one that they put off their happiness to wait for. But after that month was up, it got harder and harder to stay the same. They had changed. Changed into people that Shiruki would never recognize. And it was time's fault. It was impossible to stay the same for such a long period of time. Especially when they decided to become ninja in hopes of being closer to Shiruki and running into her one day.

Temari grinned and rested on her bed. "Maybe. Maybe not. She certainly doesn't remember us. That much is for sure. She's too far gone. And besides...we didn't exactly _'understand'_ her like Gaara did and still does." Gaara was the only one that ever truly understood Shiruki and Temari feared that he would be the only one. They couldn't pretend to understand her when they didn't. It was unfair to Shiruki and it was wrong to try to lie to themselves, as well as her, by making her think that they did.

Kankuro nodded. "I agree. Well, she has Gaara back, so I'm sure she'll lighten up a little."

Temari laughed. "Doubt it. She's Gaara's twin, remember?" she teased. "And exact likeness of him. That's partly why they got along so well. They've been through the same things and experienced the same emotions, knowing how the other felt and reacted in certain situations."

Kankuro chuckled. "Those two seem to be getting closer. Lucky Gaara..." he pouted. Kankuro had always had a thing for Shiruki. She'd never guess, though, because he showed it with teasing and pranks. He never was nice to her. Except when he wanted to piss Gaara off. He regretted it now. He had multiple opportunities to be kind and caring to her. To show her love. To show her compassion and to listen to her when she needed to vent. He had hoped to make it up to her now. But he feared that the damage was too great and irrevocable.

Temari frowned. "You know Gaara and her are meant for each other. Besides, I highly doubt she'd agree to be with you considering you were a total ass to her."

Kankuro lost his usual grin. "I didn't know how else to tell her. Gaara's emotions played out on his face when he was with her. Maybe it was just pride...but I couldn't just tell her." He felt pathetic. It was hard for him to see Shiruki with his brother every day back then just like it's hard to see her with him now.

Temari rolled her eyes. "You'll find another. You always do," she teased with a laugh. "Anyways, aren't you happy for Gaara? She's the only one that ever made him smile and open up. So, if you think about it, Gaara benefits more than you." Temari always knew Kankuro liked Shiruki but she wanted Gaara to find happiness with her. She always interrupted Kankuro and Shiruki with some excuse and it all worked out for the best. Gaara had her back. _'She might show him happiness again now that she's back,'_ Temari thought.

TBC...

A/N: meh. Chapter 3 done. Woot. I'm movin right along XD anyways...only R&R if ya want again..don't really care. It'd be nice to get feedback though. Just to know what you think of it. I don't really like criticism all that much but I'll take it to heart. I just write cuz I like to and I have alot of creativity and "what if" ideas poppin around...yeah...thanks for reading contact me if you have questions or w/e


	5. Hope Lies in a Jutsu

Disclaimer: I do not own Gaara or any other Naruto characters. I own Shiruki and Hiruka and some other characters. But not Sasuke, Naruto, Kankuro, Temari...yada yada yada...you get the point...

**Chapter 4: Hope Lies in a Jutsu**

Gaara got up just as the moon set and the sun peaked over the horizon, illuminating its face on the water below them. It shone over all of the abandoned terrain, name unknown, brightening the shadows left behind by the night sky. Shiruki stayed put just as she was, staring out over the sparkling water. She sighed quietly, causing Gaara to stay where he was just as he was about to leave. He stood behind her and watched her. She was in deep thought. Shiruki recalled all the past events. Her life couldn't be more perfect than it was right now. Instead of having to "put up with" her team mates, it turned out that she already knew them and got along with them. It was still hard for her to accept the changes they all went through, but with everyone sticking together like old times, it would be a cinch. It was only a matter of time before they settled back in with their new lives and re-met each other. Shiruki stood up, hoping for the future's surprises. She stayed staring out over the water, basking in the first morning light. "Gaara?" Shiruki asked quietly. He grunted in response, causing Shiruki to smirk. Typical Gaara. As her next words came, she turned to him to face him and study his expressions. "Do you miss sleeping?" He was silent. He looked as if he thought about it. "I've heard of a special jutsu to be used by people. A demon sealing jutsu. It'll allow us to sleep without the demon being released."

This caught Gaara's attention. Sleeping wasn't actually a necessity to him but it would be nice to experience the normal human experience again without releasing something that could kill hundreds, possibly even thousands without his knowledge until the following morning after the demon went back into hiding. Gaara's eyes widened at the possibilities. "How do we gain knowledge of it?" he asked, his stoic expression back in place, with minor interest burning through his eyes.

Shiruki grinned briefly. She had always been able to convince Gaara of her actions and to stand behind her no matter what the situation. Right or wrong, he was there. She sighed heavily before looking out over the sunlit lake and all of the sleeping village. "Tsunade...she's the only one with knowledge of it." She didn't necessarily like the idea of going back to the Leaf Village and visiting with that infuriating woman, but this cause was meaningful to them both. She looked back to Gaara to see disappointment. He knew that the woman would never agree to help them, due to their villages being rivals. "If we could get Tsunade to teach it to us...or get Naruto to convince her-"

"It is worth a try," he said simply, trying to shake off his negativity. He had plenty of that while she was away. She nodded. "Hm. Then, we will go to the Leaf Village," he said before resuming his normal glare. He wasn't particularly fond of the village hidden in the leaves either. But he would put up with it just this once to gain something worthwhile.

Shiruki nodded. "We'll need supplies. I'll pack and we'll meet up in thirty minutes on the roof. Alright?" Gaara nodded and disappeared. Shiruki sighed and stared off in the direction of the Leaf Village. Home, hell, home. "I hope Tsunade will heed our request," Shiruki sighed as she disappeared to her room. She grabbed a backpack that Hiruka had sent her away with and started to load it with medical supplies, since neither of them had any knowledge, nor use, for any medical jutsu, food, and other necessities. After that, she looked around to see if she needed anything else. Once she noticed that it was a little over the time she told Gaara, she quickly disappeared back onto the roof without informing Kankuro or Temari of their absence. Without looking back, she sensed Gaara behind her. "Ready?" she asked, not turning to face him. Gaara walked up beside her and nodded. Shiruki leaped off the roof and started toward the Leaf Village at her usual, calm, slow pace with Gaara beside her.

Meanwhile...

"Temari?" Kankuro called, looking out the window at Gaara and Shiruki leaving. He stared in awe at the two getting closer in such a short time and acting as if they were never apart at all.

"What now, Kankuro?" Temari asked, cleaning her fan, slightly peeved. She glanced at him to see him motioning out the window with his finger, telling her to look for herself, with a wide-eyed expression plastered across his face. She got up scornfully and walked to the window. Her eyes sparkled at the sight. "Is that-"

"Uh huh. Gaara and Shiruki...together. Where ya think they're goin'?" Kankuro asked, slightly jealous but hiding it fairly well.

Temari shrugged. "I don't know. At least they're together," she sighed with a smile, going back to her fan on her bed. She was slightly shocked at the progress, but she was happy. _'Gaara will open up to her in time, if not already,'_ she thought with a grin.

With Gaara and Shiruki...

Once they were out of sight of the Sand Village, knowing Kankuro and Temari had seen them, Shiruki took Gaara's hand in hers, lacing their fingers like when they were kids. She had longed to do this for some time now. Gaara didn't complain. He gripped her hand softly, afraid he'd break her if he wasn't gentle, and kept walking in silence. Shiruki saw the tree she and Gaara played at and smiled. The same tree that she and him were running to before she was so cruelly ripped away from the only place she loved so much. It was unfair. She still managed to smile at the memories that it brought back, though. She refused to let one bad memory get in the way of countless happy ones that brought her security and warmth. The ones that made her smile and remember how happy she was with the boy she was with right now. She looked at Gaara, only to have him stop and walk over to it. He touched it gently and Shiruki saw a smile or a grin playing on his lips. She walked up to the tree and rested her hand on his with the gentlest of touch. He looked at her, his glare back in place. "Do you remember, Gaara?" she asked in a gentle voice that he hadn't heard since their childhood, before all the hatred took its toll on them. The one that always brought him at ease.

Gaara looked at her, his glare slowly diminishing. His eyes grew softer as he gazed into Shiruki's eyes. He looked back to their hands and breathed before answering, not realizing he'd held his breath when Shiruki's hand laid upon his. "You fell from this tree when you were attempting to get food," he grinned. The memories...the happiness...the innocence. He missed it all. He turned back to Shiruki and she nodded. "I saw you and saved you."

Shiruki nodded, pleased that he remembered and cared enough not to forget. It was that incident that had brought them closer. Deep in her heart, she knew that he knew it, too. "That's right. And we fell in the most awkward position," she laughed. Gaara grinned and nodded. "I remember you didn't come near me for a week," she added quietly with a bit of sadness. Though, she hated to admit it, it killed her to be away from him for long periods of time. It made her ancy, anxious, restless. She needed to be around him. It was her necessity in life.

Gaara looked at her again. "I was...confused," he said, choosing his words carefully, so as to not upset her. Gaara lowered his sight to the ground as Shiruki looked at him. He couldn't look at her, knowing he had caused her sadness. "I didn't understand my emotions. I've never felt them before. I didn't know what to do. Not before I met you," he said, glancing up at her emotionlessly. The words he spoke were the honest truth. Though anyone would find this look empty and cold, Shiruki had grown accustomed to reading his emotions, beneath the glare and bitterness. In his eyes were happiness, restraint, fear...and longing. This confused her. She'd never seen such a look on his face before.

Shiruki stepped closer, mere inches from him. She stared into his eyes. "Gaara...your eyes reveal lots of emotions. Just now...I saw fear, restraint, and longing. Is there something wrong?" she asked, cupping his cheek in her hand. She may not have been around him in ten years, but her knowledge of his emotions hadn't changed in the least bit.

Not wanting to give into this unknown emotion that had captivated him, Gaara stood motionless and unemotional until Shiruki took her hand away and turned her back to walk away. Gaara couldn't hold it in anymore. Without warning, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back into his chest with the feeling of need and yearning. She didn't put up a fight. She gasped and blushed at his boldness. He'd never done this before. Sure, they'd hugged and held hands, but he'd never held her like this before. His hold around her was possessive and needy. It made her feel safe, warm, needed...loved. She turned her head a bit to look at him and see his emotions and try to at least get some sort of clue as to what had possessed him to hold her like this, only to have Gaara place a gentle, butterfly-like kiss on her cheek. She blushed as he buried his face in her neck. She never knew him to be so bold. She had always kissed him. And now he was returning the favor. His warm breath caressed her skin as he held her with his fingers interlocked around her waist. "I don't..." he whispered, stopping, fearing himself to go on, not trusting his words.

"Gaara? I-"

"Don't...don't speak," he whispered. His voice was choked. Shiruki's initial shock faded and she relaxed into his arms, loving the feeling his arms around her had brought. It stirred emotions she thought she had forgotten. She held his hands on her stomach and laid her head back on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and felt a soft contact on her neck. It was soft. Fragile. Delicate. It was the most intimate thing she'd experienced from him. Gaara was kissing her neck as softly as he was holding her. He kissed his way up her neck to her jawline and pressed his cheek against hers. Shiruki felt nothing but ecstasy rise in her stomach as he placed kiss after delicate kiss on her tender neck. When he stopped and rested his cheek against hers, she slowly regained her senses, recovering them from the bliss that had sucked all rationality away from her. "I don't understand what I'm feeling..." Gaara told her. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, eyes glazed over with passion and longing, and saw a confused, troubled expression grace his delicate face.

"Gaara-" Gaara broke the contact he had with her as if she had sent a jolt of electricity through his body and it had stung him beyond words. He backed away, realizing what he had just done, afraid of her reaction. He had never pushed her that far before. He was so confused. Confused beyond words and emotions. His mind raced as he backed away against the tree, horrified of his actions. His face held no emotions, but his eyes said everything. Shiruki drew nearer in hopes of comforting him and Gaara remained still. Sand leaked silently from his gourd and formed a barrier between them, causing Shiruki to stop. "Gaara, please...I won't harm you. I never even thought it," she pleaded, desperate to find reason in his actions and about as desperate to get to him and touch him again. The barrier dissipated reluctantly, revealing a guarded Gaara. Shiruki walked up to him and touched his cheek softly. She smiled and brought the tips of her fingers to his forehead where the symbol was. She normally did this to calm him when she was younger. She traced it gently and Gaara closed his eyes. Shiruki smiled and held his hand in hers. "We have to go if we plan on making it before nightfall." Gaara nodded hesitantly, not wanting her to stop. He loved it when she touched him. It was so soft. With her touch, unleashed emotions that she held for him. Emotions of love and compassion. Caring and kindness. Intimacy and everlasting adoration. Shiruki pulled away and held his hand, walking with him to the Leaf Village, loving to be in his presence and him in hers.

TBC...

A/N: well...chapter 4 is complete. Moving right along with the story, neh? Next chapter, things get more complicated. Stay tuned. Oh! And before I forget...now is the time i start caring about the R&R. Again...not forcing you. Not bugging you. Just give me your input on the story so far. Thanks for your reading!


	6. Conflict

Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own Naruto or Gaara...only Shiruki, Hiruka, Makuro, Takuya, and Kasuke. They are mine. hordes Mine.

**Chapter 5: Conflict**

It was nearing sunset and Gaara and Shiruki were nowhere close to the Leaf Village. Shiruki sighed lightly and Gaara looked at her. He knew that sigh. Something was bugging her. "What?" he asked in his normal, cold, lifeless voice. He had regained his senses a little earlier as they walked further from the Sand Village. He still knew not what made him act that way, but he pushed it away for now and decided to contemplate it when he had more time.

Shiruki sighed again. "It's nothing. Do you think Kankuro and Temari are worried? We've been gone pretty long." This was true. They'd been gone nearly five hours. Gaara shrugged. He could care less. As long as he was with Shiruki, he didn't care about anything else. But he would never admit that, however, considering he barely understood it himself. "We should pick up the pace," she grinned mischievously. Gaara saw the look in her eye and stared in confusion. He had seen the look before, but forgot what it brought. She let go of his hand and stood in front of him. She leaned closer with a sweet expression and Gaara blushed through his glare. She tapped the top of his head gently and ran off. "Tag!" she teased, briefly looking behind her.

Gaara stood there for a moment and finally caught on. A game. He grinned at her immaturity. He found it rather cute. He uncrossed his arms and breathed deeply before dashing after her. He sped from tree branch to tree branch, getting closer to Shiruki with each leap. He caught sight of her, seeing her glance back at him, aware of his nearness. She ran faster and Gaara followed suit. Just as he leaped beside her, Shiruki skidded to a halt. He did the same and glared at the people in front of them. Enemies.

A man wearing a Sound Village headband, baggy beige jacket, twice his size, with black pants and normal ninja shoes, grinned at them. He stood at about 5'11. His headband rested on his forehead. He had dark, cold, lifeless eyes and dark spiky hair going every which way. Another man, who was about 5'5, stood next to the other. His hair was jet black as was his eyes. The look he held in his eyes was a dark one. One that was full of blood lust. He wore a beige cut-off coat that stopped at his lower stomach with black baggy pants and a black, skin-tight shirt with normal ninja shoes. His Sound Village headband hung loosely around his neck. The last wore his jacket up to his nose. His eyes were a piercing red that would have brought fear to the normal person, like those of the Uchiha clan. His hair was long and black. Strands hung over his shoulders that reached to his collarbone, resembling Neji's, but thicker. The strands were tied with white string where the rest of his hair hung freely on his back. His bangs draped over his eyebrows, covering a scar over his left side of his face. The scar ran from the middle of the left side of his forehead to his lower cheek, and disappearing into the protection of his coat, giving him a demonic and battle-worn appearance. He stood at about 6'2.

"Well, now. We've been looking for you two," the 5'11 man grinned, earning a growl from Shiruki and a glare from Gaara. "You don't recognize us, demon?" he asked, glaring at Shiruki. Shiruki growled in response. She didn't recognize them, nor did she care to. They were the enemy. Sound Village ninja this close to the Sand Village couldn't be good. It was out of their way. This put Shiruki on the defensive. "We encountered each other years ago. You terrorized our village at night." He smirked. "And Makuro, here," he said, pointing to the one with the scar. "Ya see...he holds grudges."

The one known as Makuro walked forward, ripping off his jacket to reveal his whole body. His left arm was scarred pretty badly from his triceps down his forearm with, what appeared to be, claw marks from some kind of animal. Gaara stood unamused. He knew the capabilities of an inner demon far too well. No doubt Shiruki had done this without her knowledge. And now she had to pay the price. He would not, however, just stand by and let harm come to her. Not after he had just found her again. Makuro growled, his razor sharp fangs glistening menacingly. "You shall pay for your actions, demon!" he growled and disappeared. Shiruki was no match for Sound Village ninja. She had never been good at fighting them. She could hardly keep up with them. Makuro appeared behind her and raised a kunai, about to strike. Shiruki braced herself with her arms crossed across her face, but nothing came. She looked up and saw Gaara's and barrier. She looked at Gaara and saw him put his arm out in front of her as if telling her to stay back. He knew she was no match for this one so blinded with rage and the motivation for revenge. He would tear Shiruki apart. Gaara had plenty of faith in her, that wasn't the case. He just knew how these ninja worked. They were so blinded with their own desire for revenge that it somehow enhanced their abilities, far past the capabilities of Shiruki. She was strong, but not strong enough for this one.

Shiruki glared at Makuro one last time and turned back to the other two, understanding Gaara's intentions. The 5'5 man looked to the 5'11 and grinned. "Well now, Kasuke. Shall we?"

Kasuke nodded and shrugged out of his jacket. "Let's, Takuya," he grinned back. Kasuke charged at Shiruki, followed by Takuya. They split up. Takuya went right and Kasuke went left. Shiruki stood there eying both. She could keep up with these two, barely. They were slightly slower than Makuro. Kasuke struck first, above her, throwing kunai. She caught them and sent them flying back at his chest. As soon as the kunai left her fingers, Takuya attacked with his shuriken. Shiruki dodged and leaped in a tree. She heard a scream and looked over just in time to see the one known as Makuro being devoured but Gaara's sand. Her eyes drifted back in front of her and noticed the two had vanished. She had lost them due to the distraction, leaving her open for an attack. She had done precisely what Hiruka-sensei had told her not to do: leave herself open and be distracted by an outside force. Her eyes widened as she saw both of them attack on either side with kunai. Takuya struck her shoulder, rendering her right arm useless, and Kasuke, her ribs. She growled in pain and summoned sand to bind Takuya while she dealt with Kasuke. Of course, that would have been the plan, but the blow to her ribs made her energy limited. She snarled as she did the hand signs for a summoning jutsu. Before she could finish, Takuya kicked her out of the tree and onto the ground on her stomach. She let out a small groan in pain as her ribs banged against a stray rock beneath her. It dug into her flesh, but, nonetheless, she forced herself to her feet, defying the paralyzing pain, holding her bleeding ribs. Her vision was becoming fuzzy due to heavy blood loss. She regained focus just as Takuya and Kasuke ran at her. She attempted her shadow clone jutsu, something she picked up from Naruto, and it worked. The clones ran off, herself included, and Takuya and Kasuke easily defeated them. The stalked closer to the only Shiruki left and glared menacingly, promising a slow and torturous death. Shiruki was beside herself. Stuck. Like a rat in a trap. A fly on fly paper. There was no escape and she had lost far too much blood to put up any more of a fight. This fight would not last too much longer.

TBC...

A/N: Alright...short chapter but meh. At least it's something XP I was going through writer's block. Thank you again for reading


	7. Feelings Discovered

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. Neither is Gaara...Shiruki, Kasuke, Hiruka, Makuro, and Takuya are mine, however.

**Chapter 6: Feelings Discovered**

Makuro's screams finally stopped. Takuya looked over to where the screams were coming from and saw a twisted Gaara. Half of his face covered in sand and the other normal. Takuya stared in fear and dropped his kunai. Kasuke saw Gaara and stopped also. He backed away and Takuya stayed, frozen in fear. Gaara's look only got more sinister as he neared them. His sand lashed toward him, engulfing his lower body, bringing him to the ground on his stomach. As he screamed, Takuya clawed at the ground desperately trying to escape his premature demise. Seeing this and wanting to prevent his own death, Kasuke ran as fast as he could far away from the monster that had his comrade. Shiruki fell to her knees, holding her ribs. Her vision swayed as she tried to stay conscious. It was bad enough that Gaara's demon was partially free. They certainly didn't need hers free too. The blood kept seeping from her wound. "Gaara..." she choked through her unbearable pain, hoping she could get through to him. No luck. Gaara showed no signs of even coming close to stopping. In fact, he acted as if he didn't even hear her cry out to him. Instead, the sand completely engulfed Takuya's body, cutting off his air supply. Shiruki forced herself to her feet, blood dripping onto the ground, staining the dirt. She stumbled over to Gaara quickly, nearly tripping over herself, trying to prevent an unnecessary death that would, in time, ruin Gaara forever. She stumbled into his chest, clutching his shirt tightly. "Gaara! Snap out of it!" she pleaded, tears falling from her eyes.

Gaara glared at her. The sand weakened a little as he looked down at a crying Shiruki, clutching to him for dear life. The sand began to slowly retreat back into his gourd as Shiruki's tears brought him back to his senses. Once the sand was completely gone, a lifeless Takuya lay on the ground, gasping for air. He quickly regained his breath and fled after an already gone Kasuke. "It's...alright," Gaara said, regaining himself from his inner demon. He had made her cry again. It made his stomach turn. His face was back to normal. It was the same, troubled expression as before.

Shiruki looked up at him and touched his left side of his face. "Gaara..." she said through tears. A smile reflecting relief crossed her lips. She hugged him tightly around his neck, burying her face into his neck. He was back. She was so relieved. Her pain was still strangling her, but she wanted to remain like this just a little longer.

Gaara closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Shiruki's waist protectively as if to tell her he was still here and that he was sorry for the pain he put he through just now. The sun completely set as they held each other three miles from the Leaf Village.

Shiruki was soon teetering on the edge of consciousness. The tears and the pain was overwhelming, but she had to remain awake. If she didn't, she risked harming Gaara. She didn't want that in the least. She slumped against Gaara's chest, letting exhaustion take its toll on her. She felt herself being lifted into Gaara's arms. She felt him walking again and relaxed with the night breeze blowing gently. "Thank you, Gaara," she whispered. He looked down at her and saw a tree a little further. His pace increased and Shiruki looked around. "Gaara...wh-"

"You're bleeding." He set her down against the tree, not knowing what to do. He knew the bleeding had to stop, but that's all. He wasn't a medical ninja, nor did he know any healing jutsu considering he never needed them anyways. He knelt in front of her, awaiting any kind of instruction.

Shiruki looked at him curiously for a moment until she caught on. She slipped the backpack off and unzipped it, revealing bandages and medical supplies. "Um..." she said shyly, holding the bandages out to him. The sharp pain in her ribs reminded her that now was no time to be shy. Her face contorted with pain as she sharply inhaled. When the pain spasm subsided, her face returned to normal; cold and lifeless. "Wrap me up?" she asked quietly. She looked at Gaara after he took the bandages. She began to slide the shirt up, hissing at the pain. She looked down at the wound and sighed. She slid her arm out of the sleeve, allowing the shirt to drape from shoulder to mid-torso, before completely removing it when she got her strength back. She looked at Gaara and saw him blushing a bright pink as he moved closer after slipping his gourd off. "Just wrap it this way," she said, motioning to wrap it around her ribs, then diagonally up to her shoulder, wincing in pain.

Gaara nodded as she held her arm up, the other out, and winced again. He started to wrap her with such softness that Shiruki had to tell him to wrap tighter. "Better?" he asked in his cold, quiet voice after increasing the pressure. Shiruki nodded and Gaara kept wrapping. It WA then that he noticed exactly how close they were. He resisted the urge to pull away and shrink back into his own space, but only because Shiruki was injured. If he left her wound untreated or at least protected, for that matter, she could get sick. Once he finished, he tied the bandage, securing it.

Shiruki let her arm down to relax and sighed. When she noticed Gaara hadn't pulled away from tying the bandages, she opened her eyes and looked at him. She blushed as his face was inches from hers, looking at her also. "Thank you...Gaara," she breathed. She all of a sudden felt self-conscious, but couldn't do anything about it with Gaara as close as he was. He nodded slightly, not breaking eye contact. She began to mess with her pants, a sign of nervousness Gaara knew all too well. He stayed there, frozen, from what it appeared. He knew he should back away and give Shiruki her space, but he couldn't bring himself to budge. He didn't want to leave her side yet. Shiruki, then, brought her hand to his forehead symbol and traced it, trying not to focus on how close they were. She saw Gaara lean closer and his eyes shut. Her heartbeat increased exponentially. He was showing emotions again. Shiruki was elated. Maybe it wasn't impossible to go back to the way they were before. These negative emotions were just a speed bump in their relationship. It was an obstacle that needed to be overcome. And it wasn't as impossible as it seemed at first. She didn't think he'd get closer. She'd half-expected him to retract himself from her, but instead, he was drawing closer.

His face brushed past hers and Shiruki stopped tracing, bringing her arm back down. Gaara's forehead met Shiruki's shoulder, his breathing staggered. "What...is this emotion?" he whispered. "I don't understand...I felt it before when we were younger. Every time I was around you...it always happened."

Shiruki absent-mindedly rested her head on his and brought her arms up to his back. She held him close, hearing his breathing cease momentarily. She ran her fingers across the nape of his neck, feeling him shiver. "Tell me what it feels like," she whispered back, just as soft, running her fingers through his hair, bringing him closer.

"I feel...warmth...happiness..." he began, clutching his chest, grazing her breast. "Like this is what's supposed to happen..."

Shiruki started laughing, something Gaara hadn't heard for years. "You sound like Neji!" she giggled. She stopped when she felt Gaara kiss her neck.

"I'm serious," he said coldly.

Shiruki smiled and placed her lips on the junction of his neck and shoulder. "I know you are, Gaara," she whispered against his skin. She kissed him delicately and leaned back on the tree, holding him. "I know because I feel it too." Gaara looked at her. She was looking at the sky with a thoughtful, longing look in her eyes. "It's called love, Gaara..." she whispered lovingly to him.

"Love?" he breathed. Shiruki nodded and looked at him. Studied her face for a while. He nodded and started to get up. He picked up his gourd and put it on, looking at a dazed Shiruki. He held out his hand, snapped her from her daze. She took it and Gaara pulled her to her feet effortlessly. He helped her back into her shirt after kissing her neck again. She bit back a moan and smiled at him. She blushed, forgetting about her shirt.

Shiruki looked at him again. A look of adoration filled her eyes as she brought her hand to her cheek to cup it gently. "This emotion...love?" Gaara nodded. "I've heard others express it simply. They just say, 'I love you.' It's how you express it." Gaara nodded in understanding. Shiruki smiled and leaned closer to his ear, wrapping her arms around his neck, running her fingers into his hair. "I love you, Gaara..." she whispered softly into his ear.

Gaara's face changed from cold to confused...and happy. "If that's the case..." he paused, unsure of what to say. "Then, in return...I would say, 'I love you, too'?" he asked. Shiruki smiled and nodded happily before kissing his cheek. She grabbed his hand and led him to the Leaf Village after grabbing her book bag.

TBC...

A/N: whelp...chapter 6 outta the way tell me whatcha think


	8. Seeking Assistance

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine...sighs wish I had a Gaara of my own though TT

**Chapter 7: Seeking Assistance**

They finally made it to the Leaf Village a little after sunset. The streets were lit with stands. As they walked further into the village, Shiruki's eyes landed upon a Ramen stand. Her nose let her feet guide her with Gaara in tow. As she drew nearer, she saw Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. She cursed her luck, but then thought back to her realization with Kankuro. She rolled her eyes and would attempt to be civil with the idiot that had called her family so many times before. Shiruki sighed in defeat before reluctantly letting go of Gaara's hand and walking over to Naruto. She stood behind him and reached out, hesitantly to tap his shoulder, earning Naruto's attention. He turned around and stood defensively, nearly knocking over his chair, which, in turn, would have knocked over his bowl of Ramen. "What are _you_ doing here?!" he yelled, jabbing his finger in Shiruki's face. "You're here to destroy the village, aren't you?! Well, I'm gonna let you! I'll defeat you this time, believe it!" he yelled obnoxiously.

Shiruki grinned and smiled at him. Something he'd never seen her do. He instantly dropped his finger from his face and blushed. It was beautiful. More beautiful than he ever imagined. Her anger was in check as she thought back to him always calling her family. She never expressed how grateful she was to him for that little word. Shiruki shook her head. "You haven't changed, eh, Uzumaki?" she grinned. Naruto stood speechless, stunned at her smile. "No, we're not here to destroy the Leaf Village. We're here to speak with Tsunade," she said in her calm, dark voice. However, it was slightly sweeter than Naruto remembered, showing change.

"Grandma Tsunade? What for?" he asked, lowering his guard. "What d'ya want with her?" he asked again. Shiruki had finally returned to the Leaf Village. To be honest, Naruto had a crush on her at first, but soon gave up when he realized that she was too much like Gaara. It was rather infuriating and frustrating, but somehow he knew that she would rather be happier with him anyways. Instead of chasing after her, he simply called her "family." And he always got growled at and glared at by her for it. He didn't care though. It was the only way that he could freely express how he felt about her, without getting killed or mutilated in some way.

Gaara stepped next to Shiruki. She sighed quietly, still smiling at him, this time, earning Sasuke's attention. "It doesn't concern you, Uzumaki," she said coldly, reverting back to her challenging ways. She always used this tone when she challenged Naruto and it always worked in pissing him off. That statement earned a growl from Naruto and a grin from both Sasuke and Gaara. "Just know that we won't cause harm or any trouble to anyone. We just want information."

Naruto was about to challenge her back, but Sasuke stepped up. "Hear that, loser? They're harmless this time," he grinned. He was still the same as Shiruki had remembered. He had always defended her from Naruto's insults and obnoxiousness. She could almost consider him a friend if he weren't so "high and mighty." Naruto sighed and nodded in defeat, growling at the "loser" part. Sasuke was right, though. "Good. Now, hurry up if you two want to see her tonight. She is rather busy tomorrow," he said, leaving and heading to Tsunade's.

Shiruki nodded and looked to Gaara. "Ready?" she asked. He nodded and she took his hand, earning a jaw-dropping, wide-eyed expression from both Naruto and Sakura. Naruto hated to admit it, but he was right in assuming she'd find happiness and comfort with Gaara. If only he knew the emotions that they actually experienced when in no one's presence but their own.

"Sakura? Tell me you see that too..." Naruto said, pointing at Shiruki's and Gaara's interlocked fingers. Sakura had gasped before Naruto spoke. She stared and nodded dumbly. "Gaara's not killing her?" Naruto asked, clearly confused. Nonetheless, he followed the three alongside Sakura.

At Tsunade's...

"So let me get this straight...you want to learn my concealment jutsu to seal your inner demons so you can sleep?" Tsunade questioned with a thoughtful look. This had clearly puzzled her. Why, of all times, did they want to sleep now? Gaara and Shiruki nodded in unison, their glares in place. "Why the sudden interest?" Tsunade pressed further. She had to know everything, didn't she?

Gaara glanced to Shiruki to make sure she wouldn't jump over the desk and strangle the woman that infuriated her so. Instead of seeing anger, he saw thought and reason. Shiruki sighed. "Tsunade...I haven't slept for almost ten years because if I do, my inner demon will kill innocent people. You can't possibly know what that is like due to the simple fact that you can sleep any time you wish. As for Gaara, he is in the same situation. It was my hearing of this jutsu and mentioning it to Gaara that made us come here to you tonight. What's the sudden interest? We just wish to experience something we have never completely been able to enjoy since we were children. And even then, we couldn't fully enjoy it because the demon was just starting to show. It is as simple as that. If you are not going to help us, then I myself will fall asleep on purpose and make sure the demon comes after this village," she glared at her, threat crystal clear. "It is your choice, Hokage."

Gaara's eyes widened for a second at her threat. He resumed his glare when he saw Tsunade debating it within herself. Tsunade thought for minute before sighing heavily. She had no choice. "You realize this jutsu saps your chakra?" Shiruki bit back a comment along the lines of "what jutsu doesn't?" and nodded again with Gaara. "Your body will need time to regain-"

"Tsunade," Shiruki said, harshly, causing Tsunade's eyes to widen at her tone. It was deadly. Naruto hadn't even heard it this harsh before. "We are not as incompetent as your regular Shinobi. I ask that you treat us as intelligent beings. We may only be teenagers, but we do have common sense. Common sense that you just defiled by speaking to us as if we were Gennin. That is an insult to us as Shinobi. We are Jounnin. Please treat us and speak to us as such. I have thought it over and I am quite sure that Gaara has also. We know what we are asking for," Shiruki finished with an eerie calmness that slightly startled the fifth Hokage.

Tsunade sighed. "Alright..." Shiruki's eyes lit up. She looked at Gaara and saw something that resembled elation, but he hid it fairly well with his glare. "After you are healed. I'll teach you then. Sound fair?" she asked seriously, not wanting her to further damage herself.

Shiruki nodded and bowed respectfully before walking out, followed by a stoic Gaara. When they got back in town, the moon was at its fullest and, not to mention, its brightest. She took Gaara's hand in hers again and looked up at him to see him looking at her. Actually _looking_ at her. Not past her like he used to. He was looking at her with such fire and determination, that it startled her a little. His eyes weren't cold and lifeless. His glare wasn't harsh and evil. He looked normal. He looked pleased. The look on his face made her feel loved, wanted, needed. "Gaara? What is it?" she smiled adoringly. He looked away and led her away from Konoha and onto a roof that overlooked all of Konoha. She smiled and sat, relaxing. Sh noticed that Gaara hadn't sat yet, so she looked back at him. "Gaara?"

He looked at her and used his sand to pick her up on her feet. He wrapped his arms around her waist as the sand dropped her. Shiruki noticed a grin playing on his lips. She traced his symbol again and smiled back at him. She saw him relaxing and drawing nearer like before. His face was content and blank. His eyes closed, mouth relaxed.

She figured he'd just rest his head on her shoulder again so she just smiled and closed her eyes also. She stood there for seconds before opening her eyes, seeing that the contact never came. She saw Gaara staring at her, his face inches from hers. Shiruki gasped and blushed as she looked into his eyes. He'd never been this close to her. She smiled and brought her arms up to wrap around his neck and Gaara held her against him, staring into her eyes with, what looked like, admiration. Their faces remained the same distance apart. As Shiruki looked into his eyes, she saw something. Gaara appeared to be looking for approval for something. She smiled and tilted her head upward a little. She felt his breath on her lips. She closed her eyes, leaning closer to him, her lips brushing against his. Gaara's eyes widened and his breath caught as Shiruki's lips touched his in a gentle kiss. Under the moonlight that shone over Konoha, Gaara and Shiruki shared a gentle, passionate kiss.

After a few seconds of his initial shock, Gaara closed his eyes and kissed her back, shocking her and making her happy all at once. They held each other close. Shiruki's tongue grazed Gaara's bottom lip, seeking entrance into the warm recesses of his mouth. He hesitantly parted his lips for her and Shiruki easily slipped her tongue into his mouth, seeking and swirling playfully around his. They shared a passionate kiss, full of love, admiration, and pent up emotions both have been dying to reveal to each other for years. Shiruki pulled away due to lack of air to see Gaara's disappointed face that was still trying to comprehend if that really happened. She smiled and looked into his eyes. "Gaara?" she whispered, seeing if he was still with her mentally.

Gaara hugged her tightly, bringing her head to his chest. "That...feeling..." he whispered breathlessly. "I...liked it..." Shiruki smiled and held him back, just as softly.

"I did too. I think...you understand what love is now, Gaara. As do I. That was it. What we shared just now...what we experienced...that was love." She pulled away and smiled at him with upcoming tears of joy. She loved him. He loved her. It was all too perfect. She was half-expecting to wake up any moment now. That all this happiness was just a figment of her imagination. A mere dream. "I love you."

Gaara was taken aback, still trying to get used to that statement, but soon got over it. "I...love you...too," he breathed in his dark, quiet voice that brought comfort to Shiruki and sent shivers down her spine. Shiruki smiled at him and gasped at what she saw. It was wonderful. Heaven shone on him that night. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Pure bliss. It made Shiruki go weak at the sight. It gave her butterflies and made her joyous that she'd brought such a wonderful sight upon his graceful features. It was...

Gaara's smile.

TBC...

A/N: whew...that chapter was rather difficult...anyways...to those who keep reading and R&R'ing thank you. Kittie


	9. Learning the Jutsu and Applying It

Disclaimer: These are getting rather annoying...I don't own Naruto or any other Naruto Character

**Chapter 8: Learning the Jutsu and Applying It**

The next day...

Tsunade approached Gaara and Shiruki. "Ready?" she asked, scratching the back of her head, tired from all the previous paperwork she spent hours on and all the problems that had arisen in Konoha recently. Shiruki nodded. "Then, follow me." Gaara and Shiruki nodded and followed Tsunade somewhat eagerly. Gaara was even eager. Tsunade led them to a part of Konoha that they'd never seen before. It resembled a barren wasteland, much like the city of Suna. Every tree was dead, the soil was an ominous grey, even clouds loomed darkly overhead. Shiruki almost felt at home. Tsunade stopped. "This is where I come to test new jutsu. Unfortunately, the sealing jutsu hasn't been tested," she said, looking back to Shiruki and Gaara to see their reactions.

"So, you're saying...it's not one hundred percent effective, not that you know of?" Shiruki questioned. Tsunade nodded without hesitation. Shiruki looked back at Gaara briefly. "It doesn't matter. We have to try. I made a promise and I'll be damned if I break it because of some uncertainty," she glared at Tsunade, emphasizing her determination and confidence, reminding Tsunade of Naruto.

It was quiet for a while as Tsunade and Shiruki stared at each other. Tsunade nodded. "Alright, then. Come here, Shiruki," she sighed. Shiruki glanced back at Gaara before walking to Tsunade's side. "Watch very carefully. You lives, as well as everyone else's, depends on it." Shiruki nodded. Tsunade sighed heavily. She made certain hand gestures that Shiruki had never seen before, very swiftly, Shiruki's eyes following every move, before Tsunade jammed the tips of her fingers in the center of Shiruki's chest. Shiruki didn't falter. She watched as a red light shone from her chest. When it stopped, Shiruki pulled her shirt down a bit to see a blood red symbol on her chest. The symbol was a circle with two triangles pointing north and south, forming a six-pointed star. In the center of the circle was a symbol for "demon" written in kanji. Shiruki looked at Tsunade quizzically. "Here's how it works," Tsunade began. She touched the symbol for "demon." "The 'demon' symbol is your inner demon. The circle," she said, tracing it with her fingertips, "is Level 1 of the concealment and the strongest. If that circle is gone, you cannot fall asleep. The six points represent the strength and passing time until the jutsu wears off. If a single point disappears, that means two hours has passed. Each point represents two hours. When the circle disappears, it has been ab other twelve hours. If the demon symbol remains outside the circle, you must end the jutsu quickly. I will show you how to end the jutsu shortly. If the jutsu is not ended within thirty minutes of the circle disappearing, leaving the demon symbol free, then your demon will force itself to the surface. When this happens, it will be harder to seal the demon back within your body again. If this happens...lacking the skills to seal such a powerful demon back inside your fragile body, angry at that,...we will have no choice but to exterminate your life. Do you understand?" Tsunade finished, crossing her arms over her chest.

Shiruki nodded. "So...this jutsu lasts for twenty four and a half hours?" she asked. Tsunade nodded. "Then...how can our chakra support such a jutsu?" She was clearly puzzled. And in their sleep, nonetheless. It was unheard of by her.

Tsunade grinned. "I had a feeling you'd ask that. This jutsu saps the chakra in very small quantities. However, if you cast multiple jutsu with this one still in place, your time of concealment will be shortened. Even a simple jutsu, such as Shadow Clone, will have a major impact on the time and effectiveness of this specific jutsu. It's not certain exactly how long it will shorten it, but you must be careful."

Shiruki nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Tsunade," Shiruki nodded respectfully. Though infuriating, she was a huge help to Gaara and her. She truly was grateful for her assistance.

Tsunade nodded. "Now...this jutsu can't be cast on yourself. You must cast it on each other. Understood?" Shiruki and Gaara nodded in unison like before. "Good. Also, this jutsu saps the chakra of the one that casts it. For example, since I cast the jutsu on Shiruki, it is sapping my chakra, leaving Shiruki unaffected. I will now show you how to remove it." Shiruki bit back another sarcastic comment that was just begging to be released, but nodded anyways. Tsunade faced Shiruki and did the reverse of the hand signs she did to cast it, from first to last. When she was done, she jabbed her fingers at the same spot. The red light shone again and dissipated and Shiruki saw the symbol vanish. "And there ya go. Keep in mind that the mark doesn't have to necessarily go on the chest," she said, as if hinting at something else. They nodded anyways, choosing to ignore her suggestion. "Alright, Gaara, use the jutsu on Shiruki."

Gaara glared at her, but nodded and walked up to Shiruki. Shiruki nodded and Gaara brought his hands up to get ready to do the jutsu. His hands moved swiftly, almost too fast for Tsunade to follow, and he pressed his fingers below the choker bead, just below her collarbone, not as roughly as Tsunade. The light shone and dissipated like before, leaving the same symbol Tsunade produced. Tsunade inspected it. "Good. Shiruki...your turn."

Shiruki sighed before looking at Gaara. She mimicked Tsunade's hand gestures and pressed her fingers gently to the middle of Gaara's chest. The light shone and dissipated, leaving a red symbol like Shiruki's. Tsunade looked at it. "Good. Now...I need the both of you to sleep in the Leaf Village tonight so that I may monitor the jutsu. Understand?" she asked, sternly. She would not take any unnecessary risks, no matter what the cost.

Shiruki looked at Gaara. "What about Kankuro and Temari? Won't they be worried?" she asked him. Gaara grinned and had to bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at her innocence. Shiruki noticed this and smiled back at him. "Nah." She turned to Tsunade. "We'll stay." Little did she know, she didn't really have a choice.

Tsunade nodded. "Follow me, then," she said, walking off back to wards town. Gaara and Shiruki followed, occasionally glancing at each other mischievously.

Once back in town, Tsunade led them to a room. "This is where you'll sleep. I'll be popping in here throughout the night to check on you, so don't be alarmed and try and kill me," she said, looking at Gaara suggestively. He smirked evilly at what she was implying and he was glad she feared him, if that's what you'd call it. Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Night you two," she said, taking her leave.

As soon as Tsunade was gone, Shiruki and Gaara looked at each other. "Shall we?" Shiruki smiled with a blush, only just now realizing she and him were going to be sleeping in the same bed with each other. Gaara nodded and Shiruki slipped his gourd off, laying it next to the bed on the floor, and held his hand gently in her own. They walked to the bed where Shiruki shed her sash and outer shirt, revealing a tight black spaghetti strapped tank top that showed off her midriff. She crawled under the covers anxiously after kicking off her shoes. She looked at Gaara expectantly before he slipped off his shoes and slid in after her. He remained on his back with his arms behind his head and Shiruki crawled up to him, resting her hand on his chest. She stared into his eyes and smiled. He was worried. He was thinking "what if the jutsu didn't work and people died?" Shiruki gently cupped his cheek and looked at him assuringly. "It'll be fine." Gaara looked at her. After staring into her eyes for a moment, he nodded. Shiruki smiled and kissed him tenderly like she did on the roof earlier. He wrapped his arms around her and Shiruki hooked her leg over his thigh. They broke the kiss and Shiruki smiled. "I'm glad I found you again, Gaara. I've never been so happy." Gaara saw the love and adoration in her eyes like before. He grinned and Shiruki felt him run his hand up her back to the nape of her neck. He pulled her back to him and kissed her again. Shiruki melted in his arms. His other hand gently caressed her arm as her tongue sought his.

The door swung open and Shiruki squeaked in surprise. Gaara shot up glaring at the intruder. He had an unamused expression on his face when he saw that it was Tsunade. Shiruki slumped and threw her head back in aggravation. "Look now, you two! Don't go dirtying up my bed!" she said, pointing her finger at them. Gaara got an evil look on his face at what she was implying. He glared harsher and his sand started to dart to wards her. Tsunade quickly shut the door and the sand held the doorknob.

He growled and Shiruki giggled. She pushed him back on his back and the sand fell back into his gourd. He hit the bed with a small "oof." Shiruki smiled down at him and kissed his neck gently. She rested her hand on his chest. When she pulled away from Gaara's neck, she chastely kissed his lips before laying her head back on his chest. "Good night, Gaara," she whispered with a smile.

Gaara looked down at her and put his arm around her, holding her hand on his chest. They fell asleep for the first time since they can remember.

TBC...

A/N: for those of you who like Tsunade...sorry. She is slightly annoying though. And I couldn't think of anything better than for that to happen XD I do like Tsunade though. And the other characters, such as Sasuke and them, I like also. Kankuro included. So, if my writing may seem a bit harsh to you concerning them, just know that I like them XD and that I mean no harm


	10. Remembering Back Then and My Mistakes

Disclaimer: Nope...don't own Naruto. If I did, Gaara would smile a heck of a lot more. And Sasuke and Naruto would be lovers drools

**Chapter 9: Remembering Back Then and My Mistakes**

"Hey, Temari? What do you think those two are up to? They've been gone for at least eight hours now," Kankuro asked, sitting on the couch, removing his purple face paint and 'kitty' hood. He was worried but he'd never admit it. He was too proud.

Temari sighed in aggravation. "Will you can it already? Stop asking! They're fine. I'm sure they just want to be alone. And besides...why would you have to worry anyways? Gaara's with her. So it's not like she's in any immediate danger." Temari looked at Kankuro and saw a slight annoyance on his face. It was all clear to her now. She grinned. "I see...you're jealous!" she laughed.

Kankuro glared at her. He grinned arrogantly. Again, his pride showing through. "Hardly." He got up and left the room to go to his and Gaara's. He laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking back to his childhood and when he first met Shiruki. It was a wonderful day for him but kind of odd.

_-Memory-_

_A boy with brown spiky hair walked through the park, dressed in black. He suddenly stopped and stared when he saw a beautiful little girl, a little younger than him, sitting under the jungle gym, curled into herself, sniffling silently. This brought a damper on the boy's mood. Why was a pretty girl sitting all by herself, crying? It didn't make sense to him. The boy tilted his head in confusion. He walked over to her and knelt in front of her, careful as to not startle her. "Hey. Why are you crying?" he asked softly._

_The girl gasped and jumped a little. She looked at him with her teary ice blue eyes. Her face was flawless. Beautiful. But there was a striking resemblance to someone he knew. "You're not running from me...why?" she asked, wiping her eyes, curious as to why he wasn't running like all the others._

_Th boy blushed at her beauty. 'So pretty!' he thought to himself. He smiled at her and it brought an unknown comfort to her. "Because you're not scary," he shrugged. The girl smiled and hugged him tightly, throwing her arms around his neck. "Hey, hey, hey! What're ya doin'?!" he asked, his blush redder than before. He didn't mind the contact, in fact, he wanted to hug her back. But his pride got in the way just as it would years later._

_The girl smiled at him and leg go. "I'm sorry. It's just...you're the second person that's not afraid of me," she explained with the most beautiful smile the boy'd ever seen._

_The boy tilted his head. "Second?" he inquired._

_The girl nodded happily before standing up. "Uh huh! The first is my best friend. His name is Gaara," she smiled with a cute blush. "He's the best thing that's ever happened to me!"_

_The boy stood and shoved his hands in his pockets. He remembered where he had seen that striking resemblance before. And the name fit to a T. It was clear now. "That's my brother," he said, grinning at her. "I'm his older brother, Kankuro." It was obvious who this girl was now. The one that put Gaara in a daze every time he came home from seeing her. The only one that lit emotions in his eyes._

"_Oh!" the girl said, bowing to him. "I-I'm Shiruki. N-nice to meet you." And modest too._

_Kankuro laughed. "Why aren't you hanging out with Gaara now? He's at home, ya know?" he asked innocently. He had no clue what had made her and him not be together like they were every single day. It confused him._

_Shiruki blushed and scratched her cheek. "Well...um...I kinda think I scared him away..." she said quietly with a sadness in her voice._

_Kankuro raised an eyebrow. "How so?"_

_**Shiruki's Flashback**_

"_**Oh! Gaara! Doesn't that apple look tasty?" Shiruki giggled.**_

_**Gaara looked up at the tree. "Isn't it a little too high?" he asked warily.**_

_**Shiruki giggled and let go of Gaara's hand. "Nonsense! I have a cat demon in me, remember?" she winked, earning a blush from Gaara. She smiled and leaped onto the tree. She scurried upward onto a branch.**_

"_**B-be careful!" Gaara called from below her.**_

_**Shiruki giggled. "You worry too much!" she smiled. She laid on the branch and scooted closer out onto it to reach the two apples at the end. As she got further out, the branch started to bend downward. Shiruki outstretched her arm to get the apples. Her fingertips nudged them and she struggled. "Almost...come on..." she grunted as she leaned closer.**_

_**The branch snapped just as Shiruki grabbed the apples. Below her, Gaara's eyes widened. He quickly ran under her and caught her before she hit the ground. "Ouch..." Gaara said quietly, rubbing his head.**_

_**Shiruki looked at him and blushed. "Oh, my gosh! Gaara, I'm so sorry!" she whimpered. She noticed how she was laying. She was in between Gaara's legs with her hands on either side of his head, her face inches away from his. His arms were around her waist with his knees bent. "Are you alright?" Shiruki asked shyly, getting up.**_

_**Gaara stayed there, not knowing what happened. "Uh...y-yes." He got up slowly and saw Shiruki shyly offer him an apple. He reached out to grab it and suddenly ran off.**_

"_**Gaara?! Where are you going?! Don't-" He was out of sight. "Leave..." Shiruki slumped against the tree and cried.**_

_**End Flashback**_

_Kankuro's eyes widened. "Wow...I see..." He chuckled before grabbing Shiruki's hand and dragging her after him. "He was just embarrassed. He was confused and didn't know how to react...so, he did what he knew how to do. He ran."_

_Shiruki whimpered. "Hey! Stop! Where are you taking me?" she asked, fear eminent in her voice._

_Kankuro grinned back at her. "Home. To see Gaara."_

_Shiruki's eyes widened and she ripped away from his hold. "No!" she ran off and Kankuro sighed._

_-End Memory-_

Kankuro sighed. "That girl is still as stubborn as ever," he said, shaking his head. "No wonder her and Gaara go so good together. I bet they have fights over who's more stubborn!" he laughed. As he walked, he wound up at the park. He just stared at the familiar sight in front of him. He walked over to the monkey bars. Behind it was a tree with holes in it. He grinned and stood twenty feet away from it, just staring. "Gaara..."

_-Memory-_

"_Yay! Go, Gaara!" Shiruki cheered. She had aged nicely. She was now nine. Gaara was ten and Kankuro was eleven._

_Gaara grinned back at the enthusiastic Shiruki. He took the kunai from Kankuro and glared at the target. It was a simple game Kankuro and Gaara were playing. Whoever threw the kunai closer to the red dot that Shiruki put on the tree, got to take Shiruki out. Shiruki had wished Gaara would win, as always. Gaara focused and threw the kunai at the tree. It hit its mark and Shiruki cheered happily. Gaara won! Gaara turned to Shiruki and grinned. "Where-"_

"_Roof, roof, roof!" she giggled and clapped. Gaara gave her a crooked grin and nodded. Shiruki smiled and took his hand after sticking her tongue out at Kankuro. They disappeared and Kankuro stood there._

_He grinned and sighed. "Have fun..."_

_-End Memory-_

Kankuro grinned. He moved on to the lake. He stood on the shore staring out over the crystal blue water. This was an awful memory. One that made Kankuro feel like he wasn't the good person Shiruki and Temari hyped him up to be. He had almost committed a crime he'd never be able to forgive himself for. And that was reason enough for Gaara and Shiruki to hate him.

_-Memory-_

"_Hurry up, Gaara!" Shiruki giggled in the water. _

_Gaara grinned and ran over to the water. He stared at it curiously and hesitated. "I'm not sure about this," he mumbled. He was scared. He couldn't swim and he didn't really care to learn how to._

_Shiruki frowned and swam over to the shore. "Aww...why not?" Gaara was silent, but Shiruki could see the fear in his eyes. She smiled. "I get it." She took his hand and he looked at her. "Come on. Well go in together and I won't let go," she said, turning to return to the water. Gaara stayed put._

_Kankuro rolled his eyes and sighed. "Come on, scaredy cat! Ya ain't gonna fall apart or turn to mud!" he said, pushing him into the water. _

_Shiruki gasped as she fell in underneath Gaara. Shiruki resurfaced and held her head. She looked around. "Gaara?" She saw bubbles beside her. "Gaara!" she screamed, diving underwater. She resurfaced holding an unconscious Gaara. She dragged him to shore and sat next to him. She pressed her ear to his chest and tears filled her eyes. She glared at Kankuro wanting to kill him. "He's not breathing! It's all your fault!" she cried. She looked back at Gaara and blushed, knowing what she had to do._

_Kankuro knelt by Gaara, worry visible on his face, and cursed under his breath. "You know CPR?" he asked quietly._

_Shiruki glared at him and smacked him in the face. "Lucky for Gaara, I do!" she spat. She tilted Gaara's head backward and sighed. She pinched his nose and breathed into him, pressing on his chest a couple of times afterward. She listened and felt tears coming. "Come on, Gaara," she whispered. She repeated the pinching of his nose and the rest of the procedure. Gaara coughed and Shiruki's eyes lit up. "Gaara!"_

_Gaara looked at Shiruki and noticed tears. A tear fell on his cheek and he touched it. He looked at his fingers and then at Shiruki. "What's wrong?" he asked, somewhat alarmed._

_Shiruki hugged him tightly and cried. "You almost left me!" she sobbed, hugging him tighter. "You almost left me all alone!" she cried desperately._

_Gaara's eyes widened. He looked at Kankuro, then remembered what happened. He glared at him. Kankuro grinned and Gaara saw apology in his eyes. Gaara's glare faded and he hugged Shiruki, the only thing he cared about at the moment._

_-End Memory-_

Kankuro snickered. "Temari would have killed me," he smirked. He turned on his heels and headed back home, passing by the spot Shiruki was ripped away at. He stopped and his face turned serious and upset. "Gaara didn't do so well for a while..." he said with regret.

_-Memory-_

"_Come on, Gaara! You have to eat! Stop being so stubborn!" Temari yelled through the locked door that was held by sand. She had been trying to get Gaara to eat for the past couple of days. No success, unfortunately. Temari felt tears coming. "Gaara...please eat something..." she pleaded._

"_No!" he growled from the other side of the door. He sat on his bed with his knees to his chest. It had been nearly five days since Shiruki left. Since then, Gaara kept himself locked in his room all day until the sun set where he ventured out to the roof where he sat and cried. How he missed her so much. She was his life. His everything. And now...she was gone._

"_Gaara! Open the door right now!" Kankuro yelled from the other side of the door. Silence. "Damn it, Gaara! Now!" he growled._

"_No!" Gaara growled, on the brink of tears._

"_Gaara! If you don't eat anything, you'll die! Is that what you want?!" Kankuro raged, beating the door mercilessly._

"_I don't care! She's gone!" Gaara growled back._

"_Damn it, Gaara! Use your head for once! She's not gone for good! She promised to return! Now damn it, open up this fucking door!" Kankuro raged. Hearing silence and a pleading Temari stop, Gaara looked at the door. "DAMN IT GAARA! NOW!!!!" Kankuro yelled, forcing his body against the door in a futile effort to get in. "Don't you see?! If you don't eat, you die! If you die, Shiruki will be highly upset! She can't live without you! Just as you can't live without her!" Gaara's face lit up in surprise. "Don't you understand?" Kankuro asked with a quieter voice with pent up tears. "She loves you..." he said, tears falling._

_Minutes passed by and the door clicked open. Little Gaara stood there with tears in his eyes. He hugged Temari and cried. Temari hugged him back and cried with him. "It's alright...she'll be back...she promised...and you know she doesn't break her promises...we...just have to wait," Temari reassured him. Gaara nodded and clutched her tightly._

_Kankuro picked him up on his shoulders and smiled up at his little brother. "Now come on. Food time." Gaara sighed and nodded in defeat._

_-End Memory-_

Kankuro smiled. "We could have lost him...One more day and..." he sighed with a tear falling. He quickly wiped it away and sighed. He replaced the sad expression he had for a grin and headed home to Temari.

TBC...

A/N: well now...there's a bit of a blast from the past for ya now ya know what happened when shiruki left


	11. A Kiss and Gaara's Request

Disclaimer: dont own naruto characters...

**Chapter 10: A Kiss and Gaara's Request**

Shiruki woke up to a warm breath on her collarbone. Her eyes fluttered open, still groggy with sleep, and her attention was directed downward where she found Gaara sleeping peacefully. Her eyes widened. His arm lay protectively across her stomach, his hand on her left shoulder, fingers curled around it. His other arm, he was laying on. Her arm was around his back and her other randomly at her side. Her back was slightly arched as she laid on Gaara's arm. His breathing was even. She looked at his face and melted at the sight. Nothing in the world was more beautiful than his content, relaxed expression he had now. Pure innocence and contentment. Something she hadn't seen since he was little. It was blank of all worry, glare, or any other troubling emotions. _'Beautiful,'_ Shiruki thought to herself. She'd never seen Gaara so at peace before. Not even when they were kids. "Gaara," she whispered. She gently ran the back of her hand across his cheek and smiled at how soft his skin was. She felt warmth on her neck and a slight movement and she shivered. An ever so soft chuckle was heard and she blushed. "Morning," she whispered gently, caressing his neck with her fingertips.

"Already?" he grinned. He joked, causing Shiruki to giggle. Grinning again, Gaara sat up. He sighed and looked back at Shiruki. His eyes widened and he quickly made hand gestures. He pressed his fingers to her chest and canceled the jutsu. Light shone and dissipated. He sighed again; this time in relief. That was too close. He knew not how long the "demon" symbol had gone without the circle, but it still didn't hurt to hurry and cancel it before Shiruki's Neko was released.

Shiruki sighed and quickly sat up to check Gaara's symbol. She pulled his shirt down and saw the circle start to fade. She lazily did the gestures and touched her fingers to the mark. It disappeared and Shiruki smiled, knowing Shukkaku would not be released. She got up after kissing him and lingering on his lips. She stretched and just then, Tsunade came in. "I see you canceled the marks. Perfect. Thanks for being the guinea pigs. You're free to go," she smirked as she left.

Shiruki was startled at first when Tsunade came in, but then she rolled her eyes at her statement, calling them "guinea pigs." They didn't come here for her own personal experiments. They were not test subjects. They were not some creatures to be examined. Shiruki's arms dropped as her thoughts only got more intense. "That woman's infuriating beyond belief!" she growled. She looked over to the dresser and noticed clothes. They were Suna's sand clothes. She raised an eyebrow and looked at the note, reading it aloud:

"_Gaara and Shiru..._

_Wear these and come back home..._

_Temari."_

"Well, I'll be damned," she grinned. She set the note aside and held up her outfit. "Even got the color right," she smiled. She turned to Gaara. "I'll be back. Shower," she said with a small blush, going off to the bathroom with her clothes. Gaara went into the other bathroom silently.

Minutes later, Gaara emerged with a towel around his waist. He walked into the room he and Shiruki had previously shared and saw her sitting on the windowsill in her outfit, reminding him of himself back home. He grinned and quickly grabbed his clothes, going into Shiruki's bathroom.

Shiruki caught a glimpse of Gaara as he went into the bathroom. He looked so attractive right now. His wet red hair hanging in his eyes, with his icy blue eyes contrasting beautifully. Water droplets rolled gracefully down his lean body. She saw part of where his pelvic region dipped leading to something else. The towel was draped off his hips, holding it in the front. His legs were bare and as was his chest. Pure bliss. It was simply gorgeous. Her own personal god. Not a flaw on him. His abs were perfectly toned and she could see the muscles in his arms. Though he had Shukkaku, she could tell he still worked out. It should be a crime to look that good. But then, Gaara would not exist if it were a crime. She blushed at remembering his naked form and wished she could run her hands over his chest and stomach. She stood as soon as she heard the bathroom door open. She straightened her clothes. Temari had brought her a dark red outfit. The top had a chunk missing from the shoulders, exposing the flawless, delicate body parts. The sleeves were long and tight around her arms. The bottom of the outfit, hung to her ankles with slits on both sides up to her upper thighs, revealing tight black mesh on her thighs that stopped two inches above her knees. The outfit clung to her body perfectly, showing off her perfect feminine curves. To complete the look, Shiruki tied a sash around her hips, letting it dangle down her right leg. Bandages and kunai carrier tied to her left.

Gaara emerged from the bathroom and saw Shiruki stand. She appeared to be in a daze. His arms were crossed over his chest as he inspected her outfit, seeing her inspect his. He donned a similar outfit except the split was in the front up to his stomach, revealing baggy black pants. He wore no mesh. Only a grey vest. His sleeves were long and clung down his muscular arms, looping on his middle fingers, like Shiruki's. His hair was somewhat dry. He grinned, earning a blush from Shiruki. He was thinking the same as her. They both took pleasure in the other's outfit.

Shiruki smiled and walked up to him. He looked down at her, curious as to what her next action would be. She just stared adoringly into his eyes. Gaara, feeling a little self conscious, spoke up. "What?" he asked, confused at why she was staring and found her gaze penetrating as if he had revealed his most intimate parts to her.

This made Shiruki giggle. She put her arms around his neck, gentle as can be, and brought his forehead to hers, causing him to uncross his arms and hang limply at his sides. When their foreheads touched, Shiruki closed her eyes. She was in heaven. Nothing could ruin this moment with Gaara. The look on her face was that of joy and contentment. After a few minutes of staring at her unmoving form, Gaara'e eyes drifted shut and his arms wound lightly around her waist, pulling her closer to him, loving the sensation the contact brought him. It was immeasurable and he loved every minute of it. He opened his eyes and saw Shiruki's staring longingly into his. She tilted her head upward so her lips brushed delicately over his, resembling that of a butterfly kiss. "I love you so much, Gaara," she whispered before pressing her lips to his in a loving kiss. His eyes widened at her gesture. After a couple of seconds, Shiruki pulled away. She smiled at Gaara's face. It was shocked and innocent. Like he didn't understand what had happened but he wanted it to happen again. She ran the back of her hand over his cheek and Gaara relaxed. He leaned closer and Shiruki did as well with a sweet smile. Their lips touched once again. Gaara's hold on her tightened a little. His hands ran up hr back, causing her to shiver. He broke the kiss, but not yet pulling away entirely. Their lips barely touched as they stared into each other's eyes. Shiruki saw a plea, a begging, a longing in Gaara's eyes. "Gaara-"

"Don't..." he said quietly. After a few seconds, he regained his voice with a deep inhale. "Don't ever leave me." It was more of a plea than a command. Either way, Shiruki was too happy to care.

Shiruki's eyes watered at what he was suggesting. She shook her head and smiled. "Never," she whispered against his swollen lips. "Never again, Gaara."

Gaara touched her cheek with his fingertips. He pulled away a little to stare at her face. Her lips were red from the kiss. His expression was blank. As he stared, it looked as if he were contemplating her words, as if registering them and engraving them in his mind. Then, as he stared deeper, seeing the love and admiration she had for him, his lips curved ever so slowly in a beautiful smile.

TBC

A/N: aww...so cute...anyways...next chapter is a lemon if you don't know the pairing...slap yourself now...anyways...next chapter will be out soon and sorry for the chapter being so short...was running off of a couple of hours of sleep when i started. And then when i finally woke up 16 hours later i couldn't think of anything else to add...so...the resulting chapter. Anyways, next chapter will be longer R&R


	12. Sealing the Relationship Part 1

Disclaimer: no naruto character is mine. shiruki mine...steal her , you die. Or even better, gaara plushie will kill you in your sleep sinister grin

**Chapter 11: Sealing the Relationship**

As they were walking back home, Gaara got an idea like when they were kids. He suddenly stopped walking, stopping Shiruki also, due to their intertwined fingers. Shiruki eyed him curiously. "Gaara? What's the matter?" she asked, seeing a glare on his face as he turned his head to their right. She walked in front of him, just as he anticipated, and looked at him with worry. "Gaara?" Suddenly, Shiruki was lifted onto Gaara's shoulder in a fireman's carry. She squeaked in response and felt his hand on her upper thigh, holding her on him with a grin. "Ah! Gaara!" she whined with her childlike giggle Gaara had come to love. She heard him chuckle quietly and instantly stopped squirming. She had caused that. It was amazing. Music to her ears. Pure bliss. "Beautiful," she whispered as tears leaked from her eyes and onto her cheeks. Gaara turned his head to look back at her. A single tear fell. "Your laugh...it's been so long, Gaara..." she said through tears.

Seeing her tears, and hating to see her cry, Gaara quickly set her down in front of him. _'What should I do?'_ he thought. He never had much experience in comforting people. Let alone crying girls. Temari hardly ever cried. And when she did she was evil, lashing out at anything that came near her. He learned to stay away from her when he saw Kankuro get massacred. Shiruki tried desperately to wipe the tears away, hating to cry in front of him. Crying was a weakness. A vulnerability that she didn't want him to see. Gaara grabbed her wrists gently and she looked at him. He lowered them away from her face and Gaara wiped her tears away. He hated it when she cried. He always had. "Don't..." he said simply.

Shiruki's smile never diminished. "Let's not go back quite yet...let's stay another day," Shiruki said with a blush. Gaara looked off in the direction of the Sand Village. He sighed lightly, but looked at Shiruki with a grin at her blush. He didn't know why she was so embarrassed but it was cute. He nodded and Shiruki smiled. "Thanks." He nodded again and Shiruki took his hand in hers, dragging him to a shack. Gaara recognized it instantly. They'd come here as kids when Temari and Kankuro found out their spot on the abandoned village roof. It was another, more successful get away spot for them. Where no one for miles would disturb them. When they went in, Shiruki was pleased to see that it was undisturbed. There was a bed, window...it looked just like a regular village hut. She smiled at him, her blush still in place. She turned the lights on and sat on the bed. She kicked her shoes off and relaxed, sighing in contentment. Gaara shut the door and leaned against it. Just as he got comfortable, he looked at Shiruki to see her fidgeting with her fingers in her lap. Something was bothering her.

He raised an eyebrow and walked over to her. He sat next to her on the bed silently. Seeing the fidgeting get worse, he grabbed her hands, keeping them in her lap, inches away from her sex. Shiruki gasped and her blush got worse. "Something is bothering you," he said quietly. He knew when something was bothering her and it, in turn, bothered him and made him uneasy.

Shiruki stopped fidgeting and stared at their hands. She kept her head down as she spoke. "Do you..." she whispered in a voice softer than Gaara remembered. Gaara leaned closer to hear her. "Do you love me?" she asked, her face bright pink, looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

Gaara's eyes widened. Had he not already told her? Why was she asking him this? Did he not show it? He sat up straight and moved so his back was against the wall, after kicking his own shoes off. He was confused and somewhat hurt. "Is...that what is bothering you so much?" Shiruki nodded. Gaara sighed and grabbed her arm, pulling her gently, telling her to come to him. She moved back next to him and Gaara lifted her head to look at him. It was then that he realized that she wanted to hear him say it. He grinned at her childish shyness. How he missed her. She was always so innocent. He never wanted to see her in harm's way. He never wanted her to become tainted the way she had before. She was slowly regaining herself and much to Gaara's enjoyment, growing more and more attractive with each passing day. It was all he took not to ravish her, not like he knew how to anyways. But the thought still crossed his mind. Kankuro had not made things better at all. He had taught him everything about the female anatomy, much to Gaara's embarrassment. It struck him odd that Kankuro would sit there and drool over the pornographic material. As Gaara looked at it, he felt odd. He felt as if he shouldn't be looking at it. He even got a nosebleed! He was so embarrassed back then. And it had to be when he was fourteen...Kankuro and his adolescent hormones. It drove Gaara mad. And Temari just found it disgusting that Kankuro would stoop so low as to show her innocent little brother that in the first place. And with eagerness too! Gaara brought himself back to reality as Shiruki shifted a little, trying to avert her glance. All the while Gaara was thinking, his eyes flashed with many emotions. Emotions Shiruki had never seen before. Emotions she couldn't even begin to describe. Thinking back to Kankuro's "lesson," Gaara remembered what Kankuro was trying to tell him. He taught him all the ways to "satisfy" a woman. And what to do to cause her pleasure. His face lit up at thinking of doing any of that to Shiruki. He had never even thought about it before. "I..." he began. He tried to shake the embarrassment from his mind before he screwed things up. "I love you," he whispered with a grin as he leaned forward to claim her lips with his. Shiruki gasped, giving Gaara access to her mouth. He wasted no time in plunging his tongue into the warm, sweet recesses of her mouth.

Shiruki, blinded by passion, lost her balance, causing Gaara to fall on top of her on her back. He broke the kiss to move on to her neck after straddling her. He kissed it gently, his hands grabbing at her curves. As he got higher, he accidentally touched her breast. She moaned at the contact and Gaara looked at her to see what he had done. Shiruki's face was contorted with pleasure. Kankuro had not mentioned this part. He sat up on his elbows and looked down at Shiruki. "Gaara..." she breathed. He was worried he had hurt her and so he stopped. Shiruki reached up to touch his cheek and smile warmly at him. She pulled him back down to kiss him and Gaara slowly gave in. They started to kiss in a heated frenzy of passion and lust. It was the best thing either had ever felt. His hands started roaming her body again and Shiruki bit back a moan. Gaara licked her bottom lip and Shiruki immediately opened for him. His tongue sought hers and they were locked in a battle for dominance. Gaara won, of course. His hands ran up her slim figure as she stripped him of his gourd. He broke the kiss long enough to set it on the floor. He went back to kissing her fully on the lips. He nibbled her bottom lip and Shiruki moaned again. There it was again. Gaara pulled away again and looked at Shiruki in fear. Had he hurt her? Made her feel uncomfortable? What was he doing? Shiruki looked up at him. "Gaara? What is it?" she asked, regaining her breath. She saw the fear in his eyes. He averted his glance and sensed what it was. She smiled and turned his head to look back at her. "You think you're hurting me, don't you?" she asked softly. Gaara nodded. Shiruki smiled and couldn't help but giggle. This brought Gaara to full attention. "You aren't. It feels good. Whenever I do that...it means it feels good. Okay?" she asked, reassuring him. Gaara blushed at his ignorance and nodded.

Gaara put two and two together. When he touched her breast, she made that sound. When he bit her lip, she made the sound again. Experimentation time. Gaara grinned before kissing her again. Gaara supported himself on one arm while he used the other to roam her body. His hand felt her body curve from her stomach to her chest. His hand stopped on her breast and he kneaded it softly, careful as to not hurt her. She moaned again and Gaara smirked. He felt a hardness under her clothes and played with it, rubbing it between his forefinger and thumb, earning a louder moan from Shiruki. "Gaara," she breathed as he pulled away to kiss her jawline down to her neck. The outfit was in the way and he growled in displeasure. He started to undo her outfit and felt Shiruki kiss his neck. It was hit turn to breathe erratically. He hastily finished undoing her outfit. It opened to reveal two round objects on her chest. Her body was perfect. He sat up a little to look at her. Shiruki saw him look at her body with what seemed like amazement. She felt self conscious again like in the forest. She turned her head with a blush. He saw her naked form. She didn't know whether to be joyous or embarrassed. It was a mixture of both. Snapping her from her thoughts, she felt a warmth caress her breast again. She arched her back and gripped his clothing. Gaara loved how she moved beneath him when he did this. Wishing to test her further, he continued to knead her breast in his hand while nipping at her neck. He took the outfit off of her slowly, leaving her pants and underwear to deal with. No bra. The one day she forgets to wear one, this happens. No matter; it would have only gotten in the way.

She arched her back again as he bit harder, wrapping her arms around him tightly. It all felt so good. Gaara snickered at her vocal response to his touch. He didn't know what he was doing, but he loved it. Kankuro's description never went this far. And it was better than it didn't. Shiruki's breathing was staggered as he kissed his way down her neck, to her shoulder, then down her collarbone. He nipped at the vulnerable flesh and Shiruki squirmed under him, her lower body rubbing against his. His eyes shot open at the new feeling. He felt his pants getting tighter as Shiruki rubbed against him and he started to get more daring. Suddenly, Gaara's whole world was overcome with pleasure. Like he'd done this plenty of times. He now completely understood what Kankuro meant when he said "instincts will take over." It was all becoming clear to him now. Without warning, Gaara's hips started to press against Shiruki's gently, then gradually getting more needy. He needed release but he would hold out to make sure Shiruki was satisfied. He dipped down and took her breast in his warm, waiting mouth as he needed the other. He felt arch Shiruki under him and moan as she ran her fingers through his hair, overcome with pleasure and ecstasy. It was clear that he was doing a good job. He ran his tongue over her hardened nipple, nipping at it softly, aware that it is a sensitive area. As he licked her nipple, his fingers played with her other breast, teasing the hard pleasure spot. Shiruki's grip on him tightened as she arched again. "G-Gaara..." she breathed. Gaara took pleasure in this and switched so he could suck on the neglected breast. He glanced up at Shiruki who apparently was lost to pleasure at the current moment. Her face was engraved in his mind. It was so beautiful. Almost as beautiful as her smile. After a while of teasing her breasts, he kissed his way down her stomach, taking the time to nip and suck delicate parts, leaving tiny red marks on her body. Shiruki gripped the sheets as he slid her pants down and off. He made his way to her navel and spent precious time teasing her as he slid her underwear off. Her scent hit his nose full force and he groaned at the sudden wave of shudders it sent through him. "What...what are y-you doing?" she asked, trying to catch her breath.

Gaara grinned and bit her navel as he lowered himself even more. He sat up and removed his own top and looked down at Shiruki's now completely naked form. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever laid eyes on. Oh how he loved her. She looked at him, her breasts rising and falling with each struggled breath. His hands rested on either side of her waist, planted on the bed as he looked at his lover. His hips were pressed against her thighs as his gaze lowered down her body, mentally tracing every curve and dip. Shiruki repeated the question to him and Gaara snapped from his trance to look her in the eyes. A sexual grin appeared on his face that caused Shiruki's eyes to widen and a gasp to escape. "Looking at what is mine," he said quietly with a bit of possession in his voice. Shiruki smiled at his answer. Gaara smiled back and leaned forward to kiss her lips once again. She ran her fingers through his hair as did Gaara through hers. He made his way back down to Shiruki's womanhood and saw perfect red curls. He spread her legs before spreading her lips with his fingers to reveal wet pink flesh. He saw a hole and grinned, remembering Kankuro's "lesson." He slipped a finger inside and Shiruki shuddered. He started to pump in and out, watching Shiruki's facial expressions carefully. It was nothing but ecstasy. He grinned that he could actually cause her that much happiness. He added another finger, continuing to watch her. She whimpered and bit her lower lip. He grinned again and slipping in a third finger, pumping fast and deep. Shiruki arched into the contact and gripped the sheets roughly, moaning his name in a hushed whisper. Her scent was driving him crazy. He kissed from her inner thighs in until his face was buried deep in her feminine folds. His tongue darted out to stroke and lick the pink bundle of nerves, causing Shiruki's breath to hitch. She lolled her head back and Gaara rested her thigh on his shoulder, still pumping into her as he licked. His hand darted toward her breast and tweaked the nipple. "Oh! Gaara!" she moaned loudly, rippling with pleasure, every nerve stimulated as he continued his ministrations. His fingers moved swiftly as did his tongue. Shiruki felt a knot in her stomach finally undo as she arched her back and grabbed his hair, screaming his name. Gaara felt sudden wave of moisture enter his mouth and he swallowed it anxiously. He felt Shiruki's body go limp beneath him and he kissed his way back up, removing his fingers and face from her nether regions. His lips collided with hers again and Shiruki grabbed his shoulders roughly. She threw him beside her on his back, straddling him. She grinned at Gaara's blush. She kissed his lips again and started to run her hands over his bare chest. Gaara brought his hand up to cup her jaw as they kissed. His other hand wrapped around her back. She broke the kiss to go to his neck and she nipped at it. He shuddered lightly under her. She nipped at it and started to suck on a delicate part that put Gaara in a trance. He growled low in his throat and Shiruki smirked. "Payback..." she whispered.

TBC...

A/N: sorry for cuttin it off there! Don't kill me!! My muse left me...and besides...i write the chapters and then i post em right after each other. So...there. sticks tongue out You won't even notice cuz i'll post em both at the same time XD anyways...thanks for reading


	13. Sealing the Relationship Part 2

Disclaimer: nope...wish i had gaara...but not mine...

**Chapter 12: Sealing the Relationship (Part 2)**

Shiruki traced every muscle on his chest and stomach, fulfilling her desire earlier that day when she saw him come out of the shower. She rocked her naked body against his partially clothed one and Gaara hissed, arching his back a little. Shiruki grinned. She nipped at his neck as she rubbed her lower body against the bulge in his pants, causing Gaara's grip on Shiruki's shoulder to tighten. She nibbled his ear lightly, running her hands up his neck and into his hair. Gaara sighed with pleasure as Shiruki bit him and licked his ear sensually. She went down to his neck and started to suck and nibble there too, running her hands down his neck and lightly over his shoulders, down to his forearms, feeling goosebumps rise where her fingers left. Gaara turned his head for more access and Shiruki nibbled more, forming a red mark just below his jaw and at the junction of his neck and shoulder. She observed the two red marks and smiled, laying a kiss on them once more before kissing downward to his collarbone. He ran his fingers through her hair, amazed at her beauty. The throbbing in his pants reminded him of Shiruki's stimulations. He gripped the sheets a little as Shiruki bit his collarbone, dragging her tongue down and leaving wet kisses down his chest. She reached his well toned abs and paused to trace them with her fingers. She smiled at Gaara's softness. She kissed his stomach and lingered as she slid her fingers in the waistband of his pants. She yanked them down gently and felt a warmth in between her breasts. She blushed as she looked up at him. His face was peaceful with a pink shade across his cheeks. His lips were parted as he lay there, clutching the sheets. She smirked and kissed her way down. She traced the lines she saw earlier that shaped his pelvic region. She kissed the inside of his thigh and ran her hands over his thighs. She kissed her way in until she got to his hard member, awaiting some much needed attention. She grabbed ahold of his shaft and started to move in an up and down momentum, earning a loud inhale from Gaara that could be mistaken for a gasp. She smiled and licked his tip, seeing a clear fluid bead at the top. She brushed her lips against the head softly teasing him, causing Gaara to shiver beneath her. She couldn't help but stare at the red curls beneath her fingers. His body, as well as hers, were pouring out sweat as these intimate actions continued. Gaara lifted his head a little to peer down at his lover. His face was red and his eyes held vulnerability that Shiruki knew he had been hiding all these years. For once, she saw the real Gaara. The vulnerable Gaara. The one she longed to see. She smiled up at him genuinely. She licked his tip again and Gaara's eyes almost rolled in the back of his head. She put his head on her mouth and ran her tongue over the slit gracefully, still stroking him slowly with care. Gaara stifled a moan and gripped the sheets until his knuckles were white. As she went further down, Gaara's lips parted and a moan escaped. Shiruki took pleasure in hearing it. She wanted him to do it again. She wanted to hear him say her name when he was like this. She had an idea. As she went all the way down, due to the lack of a gag reflex, she cupped his balls in her palm, fondling them with care. Gaara emitted a low growl like sound from his throat and Shiruki smiled. He'd never felt such pleasure before. The sounds were odd to him too. He had never heard those kinds of sounds come from him or any other person before. As Shiruki's pace increased, as did Gaara's breathing. His hips thrust upward involuntarily and Shiruki held his hips firmly on the bed. Gaara's eyes snapped shut as Shiruki fondled him. She looked up at him and saw such emotion spread across his glorious face. She felt his hand in her hair and she closed her eyes in pleasure also. She let him guide her actions and that he did. He gently pushed her down and she obliged happily. His breathing became shallow as he neared his peak. Shiruki moved of her own will, moving faster than Gaara was making her. She felt his muscles tense under her and heard him moan her name loudly.

The next thing she tasted was warm salty liquid. She figured he was done so she went slowly so he could ride out the last few waves of his orgasm. She swallowed happily and felt Gaara relax. Shiruki removed his member from her mouth and sat up on her knees with her hand between her legs looking cute. She smiled at him and saw him lay there with his eyes closed. She crawled up to him and moved the wet hair from his face. The way his body glistened made Shiruki think he was a god. She rubbed his cheek lovingly and smiled down at him with such admiration. His eyes opened as she caressed his cheek and he looked at her. A grin spread across his lips. Shiruki stared down at him and felt him bite her finger. She shivered and Gaara looked at her. He grinned again and tossed her on her back. As she fell, she noticed his erection again. He crawled on top of her and rested her legs on his hips. He bent between her legs and kissed her lips hungrily. He broke to bite at her neck and Shiruki just moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Gaara...I love you.." she moaned. He smiled and kept biting her. She felt the muscles on his back and fell into a daze. He was so perfect. He could have anyone if he wanted. Go to another village where his name was not known. Find an attractive girl to be with. But, instead, he chose her. She felt so happy, she could cry. His member rubbed against Shiruki and she moaned again, shuddering pure delight.

Gaara looked at her, seeking approval yet again. His eyes were soft and his expression slack. Shiruki felt honored that he was asking permission before just doing. She smiled and kissed his lips again. She bucked beneath him and Gaara took the opportunity to grab her legs. He sat up, holding beneath her thighs, positioning himself at her opening. He fit his head in and Shiruki groaned. He looked at her to find her eyes glued to his face. He leaned back down to kiss her and Shiruki wrapped her arms around him. He broke the kiss to look her in the eyes. "Relax...I don't want to hurt you," he whispered. His voice was soft. Shiruki could melt just by hearing him speak to her now. She nodded and inhaled deeply. Gaara delicately stroked her legs as he pushed further, feeling a resistance. He looked back to Shiruki, asking if she was sure. "G-go..." she said, struggling to keep tears in. Gaara kissed her neck softly before shattering her innocence. She yelped in pain and grabbed ahold of Gaara's shoulders, scratching him roughly. He stiffened and shuddered as Shiruki adjusted. He hurt her...All the time he laid there, that was the only thought rushing through his mind. His head met her shoulder and he resisted the urge to let his tears fall. Shiruki sensed sadness and she smiled. She brought her arms up to caress his cheek. "I...hurt you," he said simply.

Shiruki smiled sincerely at him before kissing his temple. "Only for a second...it was bound to hurt no matter what. It can't be helped. I'm fine now..." she whispered. She purred in his ear and Gaara kissed her softly. "Go..." she urged softly. She kissed his neck and felt him caress her legs. He sat up and stared down at her. He smelled blood and looked down. Shiruki looked down also and then back to Gaara. "I'm fine," she smiled. Gaara hesitated. Shiruki, getting a little frustrated, pushed him on his back, dragging her with him. She sat down on him completely and Gaara arched, causing him to sink deeper. She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked down at him sincerely. "I swear..." she breathed. "I'm fine...alright?" she asked through ragged breathing. His head rested on a very sensitive spot inside of her. She was struggling to form words. Gaara nearly snickered. He nodded and grabbed her hips. She sat up and started to rock her hips into him, dragging her tightening muscles up and down his shaft. She lolled her head back, thinking she couldn't keep this up. She would collapse on top of him. This was too orgasmic for her to handle.

Sensing this, Gaara flipped her back onto her back. He grinned mischievously down at her and Shiruki's face lit up even more than before. He started to pull out so only the head was in before slamming back inside, causing Shiruki to scream pleasurably. He repeated this for a bit until he finally felt like quickening the pace. He grabbed her thighs and started thrusting deep inside of her with a needy pace. He needed release, as did his lover. He would cure that. His pace quickened and didn't soften in the least with the power of the thrusts. Shiruki arched her back and Gaara felt himself slide deeper. Soon, she was meeting his thrusts with the same urgency. "Gaara!" she moaned loudly. He brought his lips upon hers and slipped his tongue in forcibly, not waiting for permission. His hands caressed her nipples and Shiruki moaned as her orgasm approached yet again. "Gaara! Faster!" she commanded with desperation. Gaara obliged and felt her muscles contract with each thrust. The warmth, the wetness, the ecstasy of it all, pushed Shiruki over the edge and she came hard. Her moistness coated Gaara and he too felt his climax nearing. He thrust faster and finally released his seed into her. He fell on his elbows, leaning his head on her shoulder, breathing and shaking violently. "Gaa...ra..." she breathed, wrapping her arms around him weakly. "I love you so much."

Gaara tried to catch his breath. All this was too much for him to handle but he loved every minute of it. He kissed her softly and caressed her cheeks with his thumbs. "I love you, Shiruki," he whispered before pulling out and kissing her again. Gaara laid between Shiruki's delicate legs and kissed her lovingly. Nothing Kankuro said made it seem this good. It was a better experience for Gaara to do it than listen to his perverted brother explain, and god forbid, show him. They laid in each other's arms, kissing lovingly. "More than you'll ever know," he whispered to her. Their bodies were entwined together. This experience sealed their relationship in ways they had only dreamed. They experienced their first intimate moment with each other. That was enough for either of them.

TBC

A/N: there ya go...theres the lemon. Ill try to incorporate more in here. Except...i hope not as long! Heh. 2 chapters for a simple sex scene. It seems i overdid it just a little ; whoops. Oh well. Wont happen again unless you want it to just lemme know. Thanks again for reading. Means alot. R&R if ya wanna


	14. I am Yours, You are Mine

Disclaimer: nope. Naruto not mine

**Chapter 13: I Am Yours, You Are Mine**

Shiruki laid cuddled against Gaara's naked form, trying to steady her breathing, as well as her heartbeat. Her body shivered next to his, still trying to wrap her mind around the intimate moment they just shared. It was all too amazing. Gaara's affection for her ran deeper than she thought. He was perfect. She blushed shyly as he stroked her bare back, breathing contently, whereas hers was staggered and short. She never dreamed of a moment so perfect. Everything was falling into place so quickly. It drove her crazy that this wonderful boy cared so much for her and he was all hers. Nothing could tear them apart. They were now connected in such a way their bond could not be broken no matter how much anyone else wanted. She looked at Gaara shyly to see him staring back. The look in his eyes was that of pure love and admiration, the look that she had constantly given him. She smiled a little and kissed his neck, feeling the still present sweat on her lips. Sweat ran from Shiruki's body, mingling with that of Gaara's. Hearing and feeling Shiruki's breathing shake from the excitement, he grinned. He had done that to her. He was the cause of her shaking so pleasurably next to him. "Are you alright?" he whispered.

Shiruki nodded weakly. "Yeah...just thinking...about what you said earlier," she whispered into his neck. They laid on their sides facing each other. Gaara's arms were protectively wrapped around her fragile form and her arms were pulled tightly against herself with her hands and forearms resting on his muscular chest. Gaara gave her a quizzical look, lost as to what she meant. She giggled before continuing. "When you said not to leave you," she clarified, kissing his neck once more. Gaara's face lightened in understanding, but still held curiosity as to why she brought it up so suddenly. "I was thinking..." she smiled, kissing his lips tenderly. "It'd be impossible now," she whispered against his lips.

Gaara grinned. "So...you're not leaving?" Shiruki shook her head. Gaara nodded and grinned mischievously. Shiruki looked at him curiously. Before she could speak, Gaara's lips touched hers, flipping her on her back with him on top of her. He heard her giggle before wrapping her arms around his neck lightly. He started to gently kiss and bite her neck, causing a knot to form in Shiruki's stomach.

Shiruki sighed and smiled in ecstasy. She pulled his head up so she could kiss his forehead symbol. In return, he kissed her neck softly. He kept kissing her neck and lowered his body onto hers, sweat mingling once again. "Gaara?" she paused. "I was thinking." Gaara stopped and looked into her eyes, rubbing his thumbs ever so lightly over her cheeks. "Your _'love'_ symbol...um..." she said with a blush.

Gaara saw her blush and he grinned. He knew from that blush what she wanted. "You want one," he stated. Shiruki smiled and Gaara understood after she nodded. He grinned. "I...understand," he whispered. Shiruki and he were both aware of what was to happen if he were to mark her with that symbol of his. It would bond them permanently. They were inseparable only in death. And from the looks of Shiruki, she was perfectly fine with that. And so was he.

Shiruki hugged Gaara tightly against her fragile form, loving the closeness of him. "How does it work?" she asked innocently, referring to how he got his mark and how he could possibly mark her.

Gaara couldn't help but snicker. He looked at her with a grin and gently moved the hair from her face. She smiled and stared up at him. "My sand...I used it to permanently imprint it on me. When I was younger..." he explained. "When I was younger...the only person I thought understood me...he attempted to kill me. Yashamaru...my uncle." Shiruki's eyes widened. She never knew Gaara's past. It must have happened before she met him. Seeing her eyes widen, Gaara turned his head to the side to avoid her sympathetic stare. "The villagers...they saw me as a threat. They hated me. They still do. So...I used my sand to imprint this symbol on my forehead..." He looked at Shiruki seriously. "Shiruki...it's not a good thing to have on you. I created it to mean _'a demon loving only himself.'_ Since no one loved me..." he said, looking away again. "I decided that I would love no one in return, except myself. I hated everyone. The only thing that kept me alive and made me even wish to live...was my desire to kill people." He looked at her and saw her smiling at him wholeheartedly. His eyes widened at this.

Shiruki brought her hands to his cheeks and held his face in her hands. "You have changed," she said simply. "You're not that way anymore...far from it. And..." she smiled deeper. "Even if you made that symbol of only loving yourself...it is still a part of you, Gaara. I want all of you. Just as you want all of me." She pulled him closer when she saw tears form in his eyes. She kissed his tears away and rubbed her thumb across his cheek. "I love you. And I would be honored if you imprint your symbol on me." Gaara's eyes widened and Shiruki blushed with a smile that showed nothing but love. "If you refuse, then it's alright. I'll understand. But...I don't consider it a bad thing. I think it'd bond us even closer than we are now." She giggled.

Gaara looked away. "You...you are not some possession," he said as if she were trying to say that this mark would show that she belonged to him and no one else. "You are free to do as-"

Shiruki kissed his lips, cutting him off. Gaara gasped, giving Shiruki access to his mouth. She slipped her tongue in his mouth and Gaara hesitantly shut his eyes, kissing back. He leaned into her more and Shiruki pulled him as close as she could. Gaara broke the kiss for lack of air and stared at Shiruki. "I love you, Gaara," she whispered. Gaara grinned and nodded.

"I love you..." he whispered back silently.

Shiruki smiled. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he sat up, dragging her with him. The blankets fell off of them and Shiruki shivered a little as she pressed her body against his. She purred as he rubbed her back affectionately. "Did it hurt?" she whispered.

Gaara rolled his eyes and grinned. Such an innocent question. "Pain? I am not familiar with that feeling," he snickered.

Shiruki giggled. "Figures...alright," she said with a bit of fear laced in her angelic voice.

Gaara sensed it, as well as heard it. He gently kissed her lips and Shiruki kissed back. Gaara had a plan. If he distracted her long enough, it would lessen the pain that she could possibly feel during the "marking." He grinned against her lips and Shiruki looked at him oddly after breaking the kiss. He kissed her again and pulled her legs around his waist, lowering both of them back on the bed with Shiruki on her back. The kiss was more forceful and passionate than the last, causing Shiruki to moan irresistibly in his mouth and submit to her lover. Perfect opportunity. He quickly brought his sand up and proceeded to mark her on the upper right side of her forehead and another near her pelvic region on her right hip. Feeling Shiruki tense beneath him, assuming it was pain, his tongue darted in her mouth and tapped it alongside hers. Their tongues danced together and he brought his hand down to her feminine warmth, where he teased it gently with his slender fingers. She arched into him and moaned again. Once the marking was done, he broke the kiss to admire his handy work. Shiruki laid there panting in arousal. Gaara grinned and played with her nub. The sensitive bundle of nerves that was for him and him only. He moved his finger in small circles over her clit. Her eyes snapped shut as she moaned and arched against him. Increasing his speed, he nibbled on her neck. He couldn't just leave her there unsatisfied. That would be teasing. They weren't at that stage yet. As his pace increased, Shiruki's thighs started to shake with her upcoming orgasm. She moaned one last time before coating his fingers with her nectar. He grinned and looked down at her as she rode out the last waves of her orgasm. He licked away her juices from his fingers and kissed her neck before sitting up to look at the mark on her pelvis. He grinned and moved the hair from her forehead to look at the forehead marking. He kissed it gently and Shiruki regained her breath. He brought his lips to her ear and grinned. "Satisfied?" he whispered, nibbling her ear momentarily.

Shiruki laughed breathlessly before inspecting her lower mark and blushing. She touched it and felt a weird sensation jolt through her body. She blushed and laughed. "Personal enjoyment?" she challenged, referring to why the mark was so low.

Gaara grinned. "If Kankuro sees that, he will die," he warned with a slight growl and sound of possession. "Or any other-"

Shiruki giggled and kissed him. "I know, I know. I'm yours." An evil glint sparkled in her icy blue eyes as she looked into his. "And you are mine," she grinned. Gaara grinned also and nodded. "So!" she squeaked happily.

Gaara sighed heavily after a few moments. "We must be getting back." He didn't want to but he knew Temari was probably having a conniption fit. And Kankuro was probably having to hear the wrong end of it. No one deserved that...not even Kankuro the perverted shinobi.

Shiruki sighed and nodded. "Alright...I guess you're right," she whined. She wanted to stay with him forever. But she was thinking the same as him. Poor Kankuro having to deal with a very frustrated Temari worrying about her younger brother. Must be nerve wracking.

Gaara got up and got her clothes for her. He noticed a sadness in her eyes. He went over to her and sat next to her. He held her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. "If it will please you...we...we could return here?" he asked, still trying to get used to the whole boyfriend thing.

Shiruki's face lit up like a tomato. "H-how often?" she asked, flustered all of a sudden. She was elated, yet embarrassed at the same time.

Gaara grinned. He pulled her face closer so their lips brushed against each other's. "Every night, if that is what it takes to make you happy," he whispered before kissing her tenderly. He set her clothes on the bed and grabbed his own. "Shower and we will leave," he said, lifting her into his arms and carrying her in the shower with him.

Minutes later, they both emerged from the shower. Gaara got dressed relatively quickly, face red from seeing Shiruki bathe. He watched Shiruki attempt to dress. She winced in pain as she dressed. Her lower body was in severe pain. But that was to be expected for her first time. She sighed as she finally regained herself. She saw a worried Gaara waiting for her and smiled. "I'm fine!" she smiled somewhat nervously. Kankuro and Temari would eventually find out about this. Especially with Shiruki's forehead marking that she took pride in. It linked her to Gaara. It was special to her. There were no words in the world that could express how much this one simple mark meant to her. With one last backward glance of where they permanently sealed their relationship, Shiruki took Gaara's hand and left to return to the abandoned village they knew as home.

Three hours later...

Kankuro and Temari saw Gaara and Shiruki approach, holding hands. Their jaws dropped as the leaped out the door to them. "What the hell?!" they both screamed in unison.

Shiruki and Gaara merely grinned and snickered. It was Shiruki who answered. "What?" she asked innocently, as if she saw nothing out of the ordinary. It was priceless to see Gaara's siblings like this.

Temari glanced at Gaara and saw the same fire in his eyes as when he was younger and she mentioned Shiruki's name. They weren't dead and lifeless like when Shiruki left. Her eyes widened as she looked back to Shiruki. "Well, well, well!" she laughed. "Seems Gaara's happy!"

Shiruki and Gaara looked at each other before grinning again. "Yep!" Shiruki laughed as they walked inside, leaving an awestruck Kankuro and a stunned Temari. At last, Gaara and Shiruki found happiness in each other. Just as Temari had hoped.

TBC

A/N: lol well! There is chapter 13! Hope it wasn't too...boring . writer's block kills! But I did the best I could working with it. Too bad it took me forever. Get up, write, get up again, write...did this about 20 times...yes...very tedious. Anyways! Chapter 14 should be along soon! R&R if ya want


	15. Secret Discovered

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto

**Chapter 14: Secret Discovered**

Shiruki sat with Gaara in his room on his bed and smiled out at the dawn sky. "Gaara?" Shiruki whispered. Gaara looked down at her in his arms. They sat close to each other. His arms were around her shoulders and her back was against his chest. Her hands held his forearms around her as she smiled at the sky. Gaara just nuzzled her in response. "I...I really am happy that we got to be together after so long. I'm glad that we could be happy again." She looked at him and smiled. He grinned in response and nodded. "And...I'm glad I didn't come back too late..." she smiled sadly.

Gaara sighed and held her close. "You don't realize...how bad it hurt when you left..." he whispered. "I...I didn't eat...Kankuro and Temari were so worried. They said I would die if I didn't eat. But..." he grinned and lowered his head onto her shoulder to hide his face. "I was already dead...when you left, you took something with you..." he whispered again. "The happiness...all of it disappeared when you left."

Shiruki smiled sadly. She didn't know about this. Kankuro and Temari never told her. She guessed that it had been to protect her from self-loathing for bringing such a thing to Gaara. "Gaara...I'm so sorry. I really didn't want to leave. I wish I would have stayed. I wanted to be here with you...and Kankuro...and Temari..." She stopped and her grip tightened around him again. "But...Hiruka...I must thank him for something..." she smiled. "He trained me to know all the shinobi tactics that I know now. And without my skills...Baki wouldn't have requested me. And I would have never found you again," she smiled.

Shiruki and Gaara have come a long way since her arrival back in Suna. She had forgotten how much she missed this place so much. And Gaara was offered the position of Kazekage. She was so happy for him. Never in her life had she seen him so compassionate, except when it came to her. It made her so happy. And now, she would be the lover of a famous Kazekage. It was so awesome. He was moving up in the lines. People would finally respect Gaara as a person. Not as a weapon. "Gaara...I'm so proud of you. You're Kazekage now. You rule over Suna. I'm really happy for you. You're doing a great job."

Gaara grinned and held her tighter. "I...took this job...so the villagers would respect me. So that I could be connected to my village. When Naruto defeated me...it showed me that. Do...you think that's selfish? To want to be respected even though you terrorized them before?" he asked quietly.

Shiruki smiled and turned to face him. Gaara's arms still hung on her shoulders as she brought her hand to his cheek. She smiled with a light pink blush and Gaara blinked. "Gaara, you're not selfish. You just want to be loved, right?" she asked. He nodded slowly. "You just want to be accepted. I understand." She smiled and kissed him softly. He kissed her back and pulled her closer with ease. Shiruki blushed a little and wrapped her arms around his neck. Gaara laid her on her back and kept kissing her. Shiruki sighed as Gaara kissed his way down to her neck. "Gaara, what about the door?" she whispered with a quiet, innocent giggle. Gaara grinned and willed his sand to lock it, causing Shiruki to blush and smile. Gaara's hands roamed her body, stopping to squeeze her curves. His hands made it up her shirt and Shiruki sighed. With every touch of his fingers, Shiruki's body lit on fire. His hands gripped her shirt and tugged it over her head, breaking the kiss momentarily. Once the shirt was off, Gaara's lips found Shiruki's again. She played with his hair as her tongue danced with his. He started to tug at her bottoms and Shiruki moaned quietly. He tugged them off and Shiruki giggled. They broke the kiss for air and Shiruki lay panting beneath him. Gaara started to kiss her neck again, nipping at sensitive flesh, earning a moan from Shiruki. His arms wrapped around Shiruki and dragged her up to his lap, him sitting on his knees, kissing her. He made her straddle him and he slid his hand down the side to her thigh. She shivered a little and he bit her bottom lip, seeking entrance. She opened as he slid his hand to her inner thigh, where he stroked it teasingly. She moaned in his mouth and tightened her grip around his neck. He sighed and started to stroke her feminine heat through her underwear. She arched into him and Gaara growled lowly. He slipped a finger in her underwear and stroked her moisture, earning a louder, more pleasing moan from his lover. He found the bundle of nerves that made her scream before and started to rub it in small circles. She arched into him and felt him move faster. She broke the kiss to rest her head on his shoulder. She moaned his name and Gaara nipped at her neck softly. He raised a hand and started to play with her peaked nipples through her bra. She bit his shoulder to keep from being too loud and Gaara bit harder on her neck. She moaned louder into his shoulder, coating Gaara's finger with moisture as her orgasm came and went. He smirked and removed his finger. He kissed her neck and licked her juices from his fingers before removing her bra. He looked up at her to study her face and Shiruki looked lost to pleasure. He grinned and laid her on her back softly. She looked up at him and smiled, cupping his cheek. She tugged at his Kazekage outfit and Gaara happily removed it. He fingered her mark that he made on her hip and Shiruki shuddered with delight. Gaara hooked a finger in her underwear and easily slid them off. He stared down at her naked form and grinned. Shiruki noticed the same lust filled expression as before and smiled with a cute blush.

Gaara moved the hair from her face and traced her mark on her forehead. He hovered above her and straddled her naked body with his own. His lips brushed against hers and Shiruki felt his breath on her lips. "You are beautiful," he said before kissing her aggressively. Shiruki wrapped her legs around Gaara's hips and Gaara slid into her warmth. She moaned in response and Gaara broke the kiss to nip at her neck. She thrust her hips against his and Gaara started moving within her. He placed his hands on either side of her shoulders and sat up, looking down at her take pleasure in their joining. His hips met hers as he thrust wildly into her. He reached down and fondled her breast in his hand, lolling the nipple between his thumb and forefinger lightly. She arched her back and tossed her head back in pleasure, moaning his name irresistibly. He was amazed at how this woman made him feel. No matter what he did, it always brought a smile in her face and vice versa. They were meant for each other and it brought Gaara happiness that she was his. Together, they had rediscovered lost emotions that they thought they left behind as children.

Shiruki sat up and kissed Gaara. He stopped moving and Shiruki ran her hands up and down his chest. She pushed him on his back and he grinned. She sat on him and thrust her hips against his, causing him to re-enter her. She moaned again and she moved at her own quick pace. Her hair cascaded around them as they made love again after countless times before. It was a wonder Kankuro or Temari didn't catch on. They knew they were dating, but they never knew this part. Shiruki and Gaara wouldn't tell them. They could figure it out on their own. If not, then their loss. Shiruki moved swiftly on top of Gaara and he brought his hands up to her hips. He held them firmly in his hands, moving her faster on top of him. He felt his release coming and Shiruki grinned at his glazed over expression. She knew. She dipped down to nip his neck, knowing he'd like it, and was rewarded with her name being moaned lowly. She felt a warmth inside of her and she thrust two more times, meeting her own second climax. She fell limply on top of his sweat covered body and panted, trying to regain stolen breath. Each time they made love, was more breath taking than the last. "Gaara...I love you so much..." she breathed into his neck.

Gaara's arms wrapped around her waist as he panted also. He buried his face in her neck and kissed her lovingly. "I love you too...Shiruki," he breathed. He stroked her back affectionately as they both lay there sweating, regaining their composure. Shiruki lifted her hips to remove him from inside of her and laid back down. Her body fit perfectly with his. It never ceased to amaze him just how perfect together they fit. He closed his eyes and breathed deep, feeling Shiruki's heartbeat pump against his chest, in tune with his own. He did the demon sealing jutsu and pressed his fingers on Shiruki's shoulder blade. "Get some rest..." he whispered. Shiruki nodded before performing it on him too, pressing her fingers on his right side. She kept laying there and sighed in contentment. Their bodies cooled and Shiruki grabbed Gaara's blanket to cover them both up, her still straddling him and laying on top of him. Soon, they fell asleep, dreaming of their plans together with each other.

-Shiruki's dream-

"Gaara!" a dark haired woman called to a red headed Kazekage as she ran into his arms. He lifted her in his arms and kissed her delicately. He set her down and she smiled at him lovingly. "Gaara...are you planning on leaving to Konoha?" she asked the Kazekage. Gaara nodded. Shiruki smiled. "Then I am coming too!" she smiled.

Gaara grinned. "You need to stay here in your condition," he said, rubbing her stomach delicately. Shiruki whined. "No whining. I do not want anything to happen to you," he grinned. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly.

Shiruki sighed. "Fine...hurry back then...you know I can't last long without you," she winked. Gaara grinned and nodded before leaving. She waved goodbye to him, a hand resting on her stomach. She smiled adoringly and Kankuro came up behind her. "Kankuro...is he going to be alright?" she asked, worried about her lover.

Kankuro chuckled. "Who, Gaara? You should know better!" he laughed. "Now come on. Let's get you inside." Shiruki nodded and Kankuro slipped an arm around her shoulders. He led her inside and sat her down on the couch. "Alright, Shiru. What do you want to eat?" he grinned.

Shiruki was about to answer when she felt sick all of a sudden. She covered her mouth and ran outside, where she puked.

-End Dream-

Shiruki awoke to find that the sick feeling was not gone. She covered her mouth and grabbed a robe quickly. She put it on, covering her mouth again and running into the bathroom across the hall. She fell to the floor and started hurling in the toilet. Footsteps were heard rushing toward her. She couldn't move. She heard frantic gasps and Shiruki turned with tears in her eyes to meet the shocked expression of Temari and a confused one of Kankuro, along with a worried one of Gaara. Temari walked over to her and put her hand on Shiruki's shoulder. Shiruki knew what was about to come. She shook her head and Temari smiled adoringly, taking Shiruki into her arms. "You're pregnant..." she whispered so only she could hear. Her eyes widened and she looked at Gaara with fear. Gaara's eyes widened also and met Shiruki's fear with his own. Kankuro obviously caught on, because he put a brotherly hand on his younger brother's shoulder, pulling him into him.

"Congratulations...Gaara," Kankuro whispered. He smiled at Shiruki and saw her crying. She was scared. That much was for sure. So was Gaara. They had created a new life. Kankuro and Temari would be uncle and aunt to Gaara and Shiruki's child. The Kazekage was going to have a child.

Temari rubbed Shiruki's back affectionately and shushed her. "Shh...it's alright...don't be afraid...we're here for you, Shiru," she cooed. She smiled down at her and hugged her tight. Shiruki buried her face into Temari's chest as she cried uncontrollably. She didn't know what to do. She was so frightened. Yet...at the same time, she was so overcome with joy, it was almost unbearable. She was going to have Gaara's child. The love of her life. Together, they had created another life. A family of their own. A child they could raise and love together.

Kankuro pushed Gaara forward to tell him to go to Shiruki and Gaara reluctantly went to her. He knelt beside the two girls and Shiruki looked at him. His eyes were soft and scared. She'd never seen such a look before. The last time she saw that look, was when she left. She squinted her eyes shut and threw herself on Gaara, crying with even more force than before. Temari looked at Gaara and Shiruki and smiled. She looked at Kankuro and grabbed his arm to lead him out with her. Once they were alone, Gaara held Shiruki tight against him, crying in her shoulder. "G-Gaara.." she cried into his shoulder, choking on her words. "I-I'm scared," she sniffled.

Gaara nodded. "As am I..." he whispered. Two demons had created an offspring. This would not blow over well with the villagers. If anything, they were in more danger than before. He tried to push that thought away as he held onto the only thing that helped him live all these years...Shiruki. "We'll get through this..." he whispered, wanting to believe that.

Shiruki nodded. She sat up and Gaara wiped away her tears. She looked down at him and smiled affectionately, the best she could. He brought his hand up to her stomach and hesitantly rested his hand on where the child was growing. She felt more tears coming as she held his hand there with hers. He looked up at her and saw a loving, caring smile being smiled at him. It was the face of an angel. His angel. "Gaara...I...I wanna keep it..." she whispered shyly. "I-If...that's alright with you?" she asked, looking at him for approval.

Gaara's eyes widened. She wanted to keep it? She loved him that much to want to bear his child? Even though it would turn out to possibly be a demon? Thoughts raced through his head as the words "I wanna keep it" replayed in his head over and over again. He felt tears coming again and he nodded. A smile graced his lips, a rare one that Shiruki could only recall seeing when they were children. It was one that showed more emotion than anything else. She saw the love. She saw the admiration. She saw the hope, the excitement, the happiness. All was clear. She had made her Kazekage happy by those simple words. "Thank you..." he whispered as he kissed her delicately.

TBC

A/N: well...Shiruki's pregnant...as if you didn't see THAT one coming XD anyways...here's where the story starts getting serious. Next chapter will be out soon. Thanks for reading!!! R&R


	16. Kazekage and His Lover

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto

**Chapter 15: Kazekage and His Lover**

Shiruki and Gaara had had an interesting week. Kankuro drilling Gaara about what Shiruki planned on doing, Temari suggesting Gaara alert the whole village of the new baby, and Shiruki wishing to be with Gaara as much as he wanted to be with her. All in all, the week had been very stressful for the two future parents. Gaara sighed at his brother's nosiness. The past week had been nothing more than "Gaara, you lucky dog," "You better help her take care of the child," and "Raise it with love" speeches. Gaara was getting sick of hearing all this. But as soon as he met with Shiruki at night in his, or rather their, room, everything disappeared and the affection they held for each other was at full speed.

Today was the day Gaara and Shiruki set out for a walk around Suna to alert villagers of their future heir. As they walked, some were opposed and appalled, and others were happy and overjoyed. It warmed Shiruki's heart to see that despite their inner demons, the villagers had started to respect Gaara. And Gaara noticed the females had taken a liking to Shiruki. They walked the streets of Suna and Gaara saw Shiruki smile at the villagers, offering welcome and happiness. They smiled back and Gaara felt relief. He was slowly being accepted as Kazekage. Even if it was merely a show, Gaara was somewhat thrilled that they were not shunning him as before. A little girl ran up to Shiruki and tugged her shirt. Shiruki looked down at the little brown headed, blue eyed girl and knelt down to her level. "What is it, little one?" she smiled warmly.

"Is it true Tenuki-sama...I mean...Lord Kazekage...and you are going to have a child?" she asked shyly. Her feet played with the dirt below her in nervousness. She was uneasy.

Shiruki smiled at her and rested a hand on her shoulder. The girl looked up at her and saw the warmest, motherly smile Gaara or anyone had ever seen on her before. Shiruki smiled and nodded, hugging the girl. "Yes. It is true. The Kazekage and I are going to be parents. And we shall raise it to be a Sand Village shinobi if that is what he wishes." She pulled back from the girl and smiled sweetly. "I do hope that you will not be a stranger?" she asked. The girl's eyes lit up as she shook her head happily. Shiruki giggled lightly. "Good. Now, run along. I'm sure your parents are worried."

"Yes, ma'am!" the girl grinned with a cute expression that reminded Gaara of Shiruki when she was younger. "I look forward to being friends with your child!" she giggled back to her as she was running off.

Gaara's eyes widened a little. He looked down at Shiruki who was still looking at the girl running off with a sweet, warm smile on her face. Gaara grinned in approval and took her hand in his. "You used jutsu," he teased.

Shiruki giggled with an innocent smile. "Lord Kazekage...I am shocked that you would think so little of me!" she teased, looking at him with her icy blue eyes. "You know as well as I that I cannot do such a thing." She smiled and noticed the villagers looking at them. She smiled at them in return and the villagers nodded in approval. "Looks like...Tenuki-sama has a few fans," she giggled. Gaara blushed a little and scoffed playfully. He walked off with Shiruki and came to the center of town. This was where he would address everyone later on today. Shiruki saw uneasiness and smiled, gripping his hand tightly. "It'll be fine. Don't worry, Gaara. I'll be right there next to you." Gaara looked down at her and saw her smile confidently. He grinned and nodded.

Hours later, Gaara gave his speech with Shiruki by his side and the villagers were starting to trust their new Kazekage. It brought Shiruki such happiness that Gaara was respected and accepted so easily. She rested a hand on her stomach with an adoring smile at her lover. She smiled at him as he finished and saw a brief smile back. Temari and Kankuro accompanied them as they walked home.

"Hey, Gaara?" Shiruki whispered into the night sky. Gaara looked at her from the roof on which they sat alone. Shiruki pulled her knees to her chest and smiled. "I...I wish to go to Konoha...I've had alot of time to think about this. I never really realized that Naruto and Sasuke and Sakura...and all the other Leaf Village shinobi accepted me as family. So...I wish to...go to Konoha to let them know that..." she looked at him as she said the next part. "That I think them as family too." Gaara looked at her and grinned. He pulled her into his arms and felt her head rest on his shoulder and his rest on hers. "I never realized that they cared so much. That is...until Kankuro said the same thing Naruto said all those years before." Gaara looked at her at Kankuro's name. Shiruki giggled. "Yes...Kankuro. When I first came to Suna again...when he brought me dinner...he called me family...remember?" she asked. Gaara nodded and rested his head back on hers to look at the moon. "I didn't think much of it until recently. But...I wish to thank Naruto and Sasuke for accepting me and understanding me...they...were the only ones that understood. Naruto...he too has a demon inside of him. So he knows what it is like to be outcast and shunned by the village. Sasuke...he is the last of the Uchiha's. He has the Sharingan and his brother Itachi wishes to kill him. He knows loneliness. They both can relate to us in some way or another, Gaara." She sat up and hugged Gaara, forcing him on his back. "And you..." she said as she sat up on her elbows to look down at him with a loving smile. "You know isolation, abandonment, loneliness...you too have been shunned by all of Suna. As well as other villages. But now...look at you!" she giggled proudly. "You are the Kazekage of Suna! The village's ultimate defense!" she said confidently and proudly. "And I..." she said quietly. "I am the Kazekage's lover. I am so proud of you, Gaara. You have come a long way since when I re-met you. You have learned happiness...trust...love...admiration...all the emotions you were deprived of when I left." She smiled and stroked his cheek affectionately. "And I am proud to be having your child. Just as I am proud to be a part of your life. Just as I am proud to be here...right next to you...watching you rule over Suna...watching you be accepted."

Gaara felt tears on his face as Shiruki was praising him. He reached up to wipe away her tears and Shiruki smiled down at him. He sat up on his elbows and took a hand and pressed it against her cheek, feeling her nuzzle into his hand lovingly. He grinned crookedly and fingered her mark on her forehead. "I too am proud..." he said quietly. Shiruki looked at him curiously. "I am proud that you are by my side...that you took the time to love me...just as I love you...those ten years...were so difficult...perhaps the most difficult of times I have gone through..." he said with a bit of sadness. Their eyes were locked, both filled with unbridled emotion. Both filled with passion, with lust, with love, with adoration and compassion. "You have stood by me all this time...you never gave up on me...you encouraged me...pushed me to strive for everything I wanted to achieve." He paused to kiss her tears away. "And now...all this success...was not because of me...it was because of you..." he grinned.

Shiruki smiled and cupped his face in her hands. "Gaara...I love you...with all my heart and soul...I am so glad that I am with you again...by your side...in your arms..." she smiled. "You don't know how much it means to me..." she whispered, kissing him softly. He wrapped his arms around her and Shiruki fell on him. They broke the kiss and Shiruki smiled. "Will you come with me to Konoha?" she asked hopefully. Gaara nodded without hesitation. Shiruki smiled. "Great! I think that Naruto and Sasuke deserve to know that their sister is going to have a baby," she winked. Gaara's eyes widened. This was not going to blow over well...Especially since that one invasion of Konoha by Orochimaru and the Sand Village. This was not going to blow over well at all...

TBC

A/N: Well...this is kinda a filler chapter...and yes I know it is rather short...The next chapter will be out soon enough. Thank you so much for reading TT

And another thing...yes I know the full story about Orochimaru killing off the Kazekage...duh. I ain't dumb XD Just had to put that in there Anyways...next chapter should be out soon!


	17. A Talk Amongst Siblings

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. Shiruki is As well as Hiruka-sensei, Takuya, and Kasuke. And as soon as we get further along, many more XD

**Chapter 16: A Talk Amongst Siblings**

The night came and went. Gaara and Shiruki slept soundly with the help of Tsunade's special demon sealing jutsu and Kankuro and Temari constantly checked on them, knowing full well they should leave their little brother alone. But they couldn't help it. They've had to look after him for so long, they got used to it. So worrying came naturally to them. As they watched Shiruki and Gaara sleep, they smiled. They were truly happy about Shiruki carrying Gaara's child. Maybe this is the push Gaara needed to finally know true happiness. Kankuro and Temari, after leaving Gaara's doorway, went to the living room and sat on the couch. Kankuro sighed. "Well, Temari...what do you think everyone back in Konoha will say about Shiruki being impregnated by a demon?" Kankuro asked seriously. He knew far too well that many despised Gaara because they thought him to be an evil psychotic freak. One who lived to kill others. To love only himself. To fight only for himself. What would they say now that they saw him? Would they think him hypocritical? Would they accept him? Would they act as if he wasn't even there? Or worse...would they continue to live in fear once this new child was born? So many negative effects of this child. Yet so few positive.

Temari sighed as she ran a hand through her blond tresses. "To be honest, brother...I don't know. They aren't going to be all warm and sunny...that's for sure..." she sighed again. This whole situation was stressing her out so horribly. "I mean...it'd be great if they were to accept Gaara and Shiruki. I mean shoot! That blond headed ramen loving freak has!" Temari laughed. "But...Naruto...he's different. He knows...he knows what isolation and regret feels like. He went through it long ago with Konoha...so...there is no doubt in my mind that he will be joyful. Sasuke, however..." Temari stopped that sentence. She didn't honestly know what Sasuke would think. But then again, who would? Not even Naruto could know what Sasuke was going to do or say all the time. And he knew him so much longer than she did. "To be honest, Kankuro..." she said quietly, crossing her arms, her eyes thoughtful. Kankuro looked at her. "I really hope that Gaara and Shiruki will be accepted just as Suna is accepting them. They are starting to see them, not as demons, but as human beings. Human beings with hearts...with feelings."

Kankuro nodded and smiled. He too saw the acceptance that Suna was having of Gaara and Shiruki. He only wished it had come sooner. As he sat, he was about to say something, until a light noise came from behind them. They both turned and saw the shirtless Kazekage rubbing his eyes with a knuckle. "What the hell are you two doing?" Gaara grumbled. He woke up and looked at them, his arms crossed.

Temari smiled. She got up and put her arm around her brother's shoulders. "We're talking. Come and join us. It involves you and Shiruki." Gaara straightened as he was guided to a chair. He sat with his arms crossed again and glared at the two siblings. Temari took her seat back next to Kankuro on the couch and sighed. "Relax, Gaara. It is nothing bad. We aren't talking about separating you two," she sighed. Gaara relaxed somewhat but kept his glare directed at his two siblings. "Kankuro and myself were just discussing the repercussions of the child that will indeed be brought into this world in a matter of months. We wish to ready you for all that may happen." Gaara scoffed as he listened. What was the worst that could happen? Alright...better not jinx it.

"This is serious, Gaara," Kankuro said with worry. Gaara looked at him and averted his glance to the side at nothing in particular. Kankuro sat back and was silent for a while. "Gaara, do you remember what you told me, before you became Kazekage?" he asked. Gaara nodded and uncrossed his arms. His forearms rested on his thighs as he leaned forward. "I told you that the village thought of you only as a weapon. That they lived in fear."

Gaara nodded and lowered his head. "I told you I wished to be Kazekage because Naruto...when I fought him, he taught me something. And I would be Kazekage to be closer to my village. To be connected to them. And also..." He was silent for a moment as if contemplating his next words. "If I were to sit and do nothing, like you suggested, then the villagers would only fear me even more. The only thing that could result in my sitting around would be more fear and cowardice. I did not want that..." He lifted his head to look at Kankuro through his bangs. Kankuro nodded, satisfied that he remembered. Gaara grinned and snickered lightly. "The thing...I did not tell you..." he said as he sat back with a sigh. "Was that...I wished to have more power so that I could protect Shiruki." Kankuro and Temari's eyes both grew wide. Was he really saying this? Did he actually say that he wished to protect another freely?

Kankuro smiled and laughed earnestly. "I see. Little brother has discovered the meaning of love." Temari smiled and nodded in understanding, agreeing with him.

Gaara sighed and got up fluidly. His arms remained at his sides, fists clenched. A grin was on his face as he stared at the floor. "It is...just how Yashamaru said..." he said quietly. Kankuro and Temari's smiles both dropped at the mention of their uncle's name. The same one that had been ordered to kill Gaara by their father. The same one that had every option to stop and deny the order. The same one that blamed Gaara's mother's death on him. The one that wanted a life for a life and lied to Gaara about loving him. The one that created counterfeit love in spite of his hate and loathing for Gaara. Gaara lifted his head and Temari and Kankuro saw a grin on his lips. "Love is when you wish to protect those around you at all costs," he said.

Temari raised an eyebrow. _'He remembered that after all these years?'_ she thought to herself. "Gaara...what we wanted to tell you..." she began.

Gaara shook his head and plopped back in the chair with a sigh. "I know...Konoha shinobi might not accept the child. I am aware of this. Shiruki and I have discussed this already. Last night, in fact. We are perfectly aware of what may happen." Temari nodded for him to continue as did Kankuro. He crossed his arms and looked out the window. "The villagers might not accept it. They might mistaken it for another demon. And it might be loathed as much as Shiruki and myself have been all these years. She fears for it. She wishes to raise it as a shinobi." He grinned. "I am not opposed to the idea. But...there is one thing that is troubling her..." he said seriously, his eyes narrowing at the window. "What if the child...is a demon? Or half? Or any?" he asked, turning his sights back to Kankuro and Temari. He leaned forward, his hands at his mouth in thought, resembling Sasuke. "If it is indeed a demon, it will be alot more difficult to raise. The villagers will live in fear once again. I doubt that it will be, however. After all, our demons were placed inside of us when we were children, were they not?" he asked seriously, already knowing the answer. "So there is no reason for us to worry. Unless we plan on placing a deadly demon inside our child, which, might I add, is the cruelest thing to do to your own child, then there is absolutely no reason to fear this birth." He paused and Kankuro noticed Gaara's knuckles turning white from the pressure he had on his hands. "My father..." he said in a low growl. "What he did...is unforgivable. All those years...they were hell for me." He looked at Temari and Kankuro with what looked like a look of resentment. "You two don't understand what it was like...you never will. Only Shiruki and Naruto will ever truly understand..." he said, closing his eyes and lowering his head. He snickered a little. Temari and Kankuro looked at each other then back at Gaara as he spoke the next words. "But...it was all worth it...It was indeed all worth it to have what I do now." He raised his head and Temari and Kankuro saw the corners of his lips curl in a small smile. The first time they ever saw their brother truly smile. A smile of happiness. They smiled warmly at him and Gaara got up. He stretched and rubbed his shoulder. "I, as well as Shiruki, are traveling to Konoha tomorrow. If you wake and we are not here, that is where we are," he said, walking off back to Shiruki.

Temari and Kankuro sat there dumbfounded. "Kankuro? Did...that really happen? I didn't imagine it...did I?" she asked him quietly as soon as Gaara was gone.

Kankuro chuckled and leaned back. "Nope. Unless we're both imagining it, Gaara smiled." He grinned and snickered again. Temari joined in a few seconds later and got up. Kankuro looked at her and rolled her eyes. "She should be fine." He could tell that Temari was worried about Shiruki. He'd be lying if he weren't worried also. But Gaara was there to protect her. So he was sure she would be just fine. He was Kazekage after all.

"Kankuro...what if Gaara can't protect her?" Temari asked lowly, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. "What if something unexpected happens...and he can't protect her? Oh, Kame...he'll die," she cried quietly. "Shiruki means so much to him. What if...what if she died right in front of-"

"You worry too much, Temari. She'll be fine," Kankuro interrupted, not wishing to hear any more of this. It was all too distressing. He didn't want to think about Shiruki dying. Or how Gaara would be affected. Or how all of Suna would be affected. He just wanted to concentrate on being happy for his brother and Shiruki. It was taking every fiber of his being not to tell Shiruki how he felt. He knew she'd reject him for Gaara. That wasn't the issue. He just wanted her to know. But that was for later. When everything was stable. "They will be fine..." Kankuro assured her. Temari nodded reluctantly and Kankuro stood up next to her. "Alright. Get some sleep." He said as he left also. Temari went to her room and the house was peaceful for the night.

TBC

A/N: alright...next chapter, things are gonna kick up. As some others say "the shit's gonna hit the fan?" lol keep in touch! The story's gonna get alot more interesting


	18. Disastrous Trip to Konoha

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine

**Chapter 17: Disastrous Trip to Konoha**

The night came and went swiftly. Shiruki was the first to wake. She got up, due to her morning sickness, followed by a worried Gaara, and went to the bathroom. This was getting to be a normal thing. Get up, run to the bathroom, have Gaara tell her how beautiful she was and how worried he was about her. Normal routine. Today was different, though. The sickness seemed to be getting worse and worse. This terrified Gaara. He asked Temari but all she told him that this was normal. As he stood at Shiruki's side, he held her hair out of the way, kissing her nape, whispering words of comfort in her ear. Once she was done, she was drained. Gaara picked her up and set her on the sink, where he proceeded to clean her face with a rag. She leaned her head back to regain her breath and Gaara finished cleaning her up. Sweat beaded on the young girl's face and neck as she sat there panting. He stood between her legs with his hands on either side of her thighs, firmly on the counter as Shiruki regained herself. Once she did, after about twenty minutes, she looked at him with her beautiful icy blue eyes and a warm smile. She'd kiss him right now but she didn't exactly like the idea of that. So she kissed his forehead mark. Gaara backed away and Shiruki hopped off the counter as if nothing was wrong. She had more of a bounce in her step today, Gaara noticed. He shook his head and followed her back to the room. He started packing items that they needed for the journey to Konoha while Shiruki bathed and readied herself. Once he was done, he sat on the bed, staring at the ceiling in thought. _'What if Kankuro and Temari are right? What if this child brings nothing but trouble?'_ he thought. He didn't like thinking that way, but there were possibilities. Possibilities that he wished never existed. He sighed as he plopped onto his back on the bed and closed his eyes. He didn't even notice Shiruki come back in the room.

Shiruki smiled mischievously as she walked over to him and straddled him on the bed. Gaara's eyes remained closed as his arms wrapped around his waist. He didn't need to look at who it was. He felt fuzz and opened his eyes to look at her. She was still in a towel. She smiled down at him and had a look of love on her face. "What's wrong, Lord Kazekage?" she asked quietly, leaning down closer to him. Her full body was pressed against his own, her leaning on her elbows, playing with his hair. Gaara grinned and relaxed. Man, how she knew how to turn him on. Shiruki felt something jabbing her hip and she smiled with a blush. "Ah, Kazekage-sama has an issue," she giggled. Gaara snickered and pulled her down for a kiss.

The door slammed open and Shiruki jumped. She looked over at the door to see who it was and saw Kankuro. She blushed severely and gaara sat up on his elbows. How Gaara wished he could kill Kankuro right now. "What is it, Kankuro?" Gaara growled rather harshly.

Kankuro just gawked at Shiruki in a towel, naked, on top of Gaara, water pouring from her creamy skin. She saw him staring and blushed even more. She turned away and tried to cover herself. She tried to get off of Gaara but a look from him held her there. Gaara's sight returned to Kankuro. "Oh...uh...Temari wants you to have breakfast before you leave..." he said passively. He stood there for a moment and blinked his eyes. He shook his head and left in a daze, closing the door behind him.

Gaara's sand shot up to lock it and he growled as he plopped back on his back. Shiruki blushed and shyly got off in shame. "I...I'm sorry..." she whispered, searching for her clothes in shame. She had shamed Gaara. Gaara got up and took her in his arms, nuzzling his cheek against hers. "If I...would have just gotten dressed..." she said quietly. "I'm so-"

Gaara kissed her passionately and Shiruki relaxed into his arms. He broke the kiss once he noticed he had succeeded in calming her down. "Do not apologize. It was his stupidity that angered me. Don't ever apologize for something like that." Shiruki nodded and smiled weakly. He kissed her forehead and released her reluctantly. "Get dressed. I will see you downstairs," he said before leaving and shutting the door behind him. He traveled down the steps, rather pissed at his brother and saw Kankuro sitting in the living room snickering. He walked over to him and glared down at him. "You are disgusting," he growled. Kankuro snickered again and scratched his cheek. Gaara yanked him up by his shirt and glared at him. "Don't ever do that again. It's called knocking. Try it sometime. It could save your life."

Kankuro gulped and Temari rolled her eyes from the kitchen. "Alright you two. Cool it. Gaara, don't kill Kankuro. Kankuro...keep the perversion to a limit. And don't do it around Shiruki." The boys glared at Temari and Gaara dropped Kankuro to the floor mumbling "idiot" under his breath. He took a seat at the table and waited for Shiruki. As if on cue, Kankuro bolted up and Temari noticed a blush on his face as he stared off toward the stairs. Shiruki walked into the kitchen wearing a tight black half top that stopped just below her breasts. It was long sleeved and looped around her middle fingers like gloves. It fit her form perfectly. Over it was black mesh that also hugged her body perfectly. She wore tight black pants that hugged her hips. Kankuro and Temari could see red tipping on her right hip but just thought it to be part of the outfit, when in fact, it was Gaara's mark. She wore black ninja shoes that resembled Gaara's and had a blood red sash hanging on her hips. She wore her normal black choker with blood red gem dangling. She smiled at Kankuro and Kankuro blinked after a long what seemed like five minutes. Gaara's attention drifted to her and Shiruki kissed his temple. She sat next to him and took his hand in hers. Temari smiled at her. "Shiru...you look beautiful," she complimented.

Shiruki smiled warmly. "Thanks," she giggled. She looked at Gaara who was wearing the normal. Tight blood red outfit with grey vest (see Shippuden to see outfit). "After breakfast, we leave?" she asked. Gaara held back a snicker at her enthusiasm. He nodded. Shiruki squeaked with delight and hugged him. Temari smiled at her and her brother.

After breakfast and goodbyes, Shiruki and Gaara were off to Konoha. They walked hand in hand and Gaara listened to Shiruki go on and on about Naruto and Sasuke. How she wished they would accept the child, occasionally rubbing her stomach self consciously. He snickered lightly at her nervousness. They passed by the shack that they always came to and smiled. Gaara was so lost in thought, he barely heard her speaking. As he thought more and more, he smirked at how his siblings hadn't noticed the marks he had given her. It had been a while. "Hey, Gaara?" she asked quietly, interrupting his thoughts. Something was troubling her. Her voice wasn't as enthusiastic as before. Gaara looked at her and stopped alongside her. She looked up at him and brought her hand up to his cheek. She caressed it with the back of her hand affectionately, lighting his skin on fire. Gaara closed his eyes, holding her hand on his cheek and nuzzling her. She smiled when he kissed the back of her hand affectionately. He'd changed so much since the marking. He wasn't as stand offish as before. He was so open. She looked at him. "Why can I touch you without your sand attacking?" she asked, looking at him curiously.

Gaara smirked. He knew this question would come sooner or later. He looked at her and Shiruki blushed. "Because I want you to," he said simply, a seductive tone in his dark voice. A cold finger ran up and down Shiruki's spine causing her to shiver.

She smiled and rested her hand on his chest. She kissed his lips softly and giggled a little. She hugged him again and sighed. "Just like when we were kids...we're going back to it. You've changed, Gaara," she whispered with a small sense of regret but there was also happiness.

Gaara wrapped his arms around her and nodded. "We better go if we plan on getting there tonight." Shiruki nodded and started to walk off.

An hour later...

"Shiruki!" a male voice called urgently in front of them. A raven haired male ran to them with a black outfit and a Leaf Village head band. His face was clearly distressed.

"Sasuke? What's the matter? Where's Naruto?" she asked, grabbing his shoulders with worry. This wasn't good. His clothes were tattered, his hair a mess, and now Naruto was not with him. What could have happened to be so bad that Naruto of all people wouldn't be with him?

"He's in trouble again. They took him to extract Kyuubi!" he said desperately.

"What?! They can't! He'll die!" Shiruki growled. Her eyes flashed amber and Gaara held her tight. She growled and the stripes on her face grew ragged and got darker in color. "Who?" she growled in a voice that wasn't her own. The neko demon was coming out.

"Sound Village," Sasuke said gravely. "We got separated when we were defending Tsunade. They caught word that you and Gaara were in the village a while back. They were too late in getting here though...and they destroyed part of the village..." he informed her, clenching his fists, his nails digging into his palms, blood staining the dirt beneath him.

Shiruki shook with anger. "Where did they take off to?" she asked through clenched teeth. They would not get away with harming her family's village. She'd be damned if they would live this time. She knew she shouldn't have stopped Gaara last time Takuya and Kasuke attacked them. Sasuke pointed to the east and Shiruki nodded. "Let's go," she said as she darted off at inhumane speed. Her canines grew viciously and Gaara saw her blue eyes turn a permanent amber. She caught wind of Naruto and sped off using the Neko demon's speed, followed by Sasuke and Gaara.

They came to a building and everyone skidded to a halt. Poison needles shot toward Shiruki and she dodged them easily. An evil laughter was heard. A familiar one. One she loathed. One she longed to kill in the worst ways imaginable. "I see you came! Does saving the pathetic shinobi mean that much?" a voice came.

Shiruki recognized it immediately, as well as did Gaara. "I thought you learned by now, Kasuke. Don't mess with what is mine!" she snarled. How she wished she could rip this guy's vocal chords from his throat and shove them somewhere else. But first things first. She had to get leads as to where Naruto was. She couldn't just rush into this blindly. She had to be precise. Hopefully, Naruto could hold on for a bit longer...

TBC

A/N: well...Kasuke is back! What a cruel trick to play on Shiru and Gaara. They destroyed half the village and now they wish to kill Naruto. Or is that their real intention? Find out in the next chapter. It will be out really soon!!!! R&R Thanks for reading!

Just to clear things up...I know in Shippuden Sasuke is "bad" but in this story, he is still with them I needed him temporarily...


	19. Naruto's Capture and a Loved One's Death

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine...

**Chapter 18: Naruto's Capture and a Loved One's Untimely Demise**

Kasuke stepped from the shadows, an arrogant grin on his face. "But, Shiruki...this shinobi is meaningless to us. It is _you_ we desire," he grinned. "And besides...when last we met, was it not you that said you have no family?" Shiruki growled lowly. "Just as I thought. So, why is this boy so important to you now?" he smirked. She was too easy. Shiruki growled yet again and glared at them. She was shaking from how much pent up anger she stored for this one shinobi. How she longed to sink her claws into his throat. He would surely pay for what he put her and her family through.

Gaara saw Shiruki shaking badly and resisted the urge to rush blindly into battle. He watched for a few moments longer until a snicker erupted from Shiruki's form. His vision snapped to her. "Kasuke...you are pathetic. Thinking you know everything about me when you know so little." She raised her head to glare at him and he raised an eyebrow. "Before you accuse me of saying such things, which I no doubtfully did say, then maybe you should take a look around and stop judging me." Kasuke's face went blank. Shiruki's snicker resonated deep within her throat, making it sound like a growl. "Naruto and Sasuke...they have been family all along. I just refused to see it," she growled as she charged at him. Poison needles rained from the air once more as she closed in on him. They darted in front of her like a rainstorm she was rushing into. She skidded to a halt and leaped backward. She ripped a needle from her arm and Gaara and Sasuke both were at her side in a matter of seconds. This wasn't good. She was struck with Sound Village's special poison needles. This poison, according to their sources and previous dealings, was fast acting. It was only a matter of time until Shiruki lost her strength. This was not good at all. As they stood there, more poison needles shot from the air. Gaara's sand rose up swiftly to block the three and Shiruki didn't even flinch. She was all too used to it.

Kasuke grinned and kept his arms crossed over his chest. He clearly had the upper hand. If what Shiruki said was true, then she would have no problems giving into this next proposition. A simple trade. Nothing more. He grinned, knowing he had won. The odds were indeed in his and Takuya's favor. "If you don't surrender now, the boy will die. As we speak, Takuya is setting everything up to extract the nine-tailed fox from his pathetic body. It is up to you. You refuse, he dies. You accept, you die," he grinned.

Gaara glared fire at Kasuke. He had the audacity to exchange a life for a life? And to make things worse, the Kazekage's lover? This guy was asking for it. Gaara was already teetering on the edge of sanity as it was. Not to mention, his patience was slipping with each blink of an eye. Sasuke glared at Kasuke also. He knew things were not going to end well. He could feel it deep in the pit of his stomach. Someone was going to die. And it wasn't favorable who it was going to be. All he knew was that someone close to him would cease to live tonight. Shiruki stood there clenching and unclenching her fists in anger. To say she was extremely livid would be an understatement. She didn't like either of those options. Naruto lives, she dies. Naruto dies, she lives. _'What should I do? If I don't go, Naruto will surely die. But if I do...'_ she thought looking at Gaara and Sasuke. She returned her glare to the ground. _'If I do...Gaara will be alone yet again. Maybe...if I can stall for a bit, Gaara and Sasuke can find a way to save Naruto. I just hope they catch on. This could get messy...Oh, please, Gaara...don't be upset with me,'_ she thought as single tear fell from her eye. She stopped clenching and unclenching her fists and the tears ceased. An idea. "Let me see Naruto," she ordered. If they wanted her, they would have to guarantee Naruto's safety. If not, she'd kill them. But she could not act as long as Naruto was in danger.

Kasuke grinned. "Fine. The other two shall stay put. If they follow, Naruto dies. Understood?" he ordered back. He knew what she was thinking. Stall long enough for Gaara and Sasuke to find a way around their plan and save both Naruto and Shiruki from extraction, all the while, killing both Kasuke and Takuya. Clever. But not clever enough. It was simple shinobi tactics. He knew them all too well.

Sasuke was about to protest but Gaara put his arm up to stop him. Shiruki looked back at them, pain and anger in her eyes. This was killing her. Leaving Gaara...Suna...Sasuke...Temari and Kankuro...and possibly losing the child growing inside of her. It was eating her apart. She tried to force a smile, but they both knew it was a failed attempt. Instead of false happiness, all that was shown was pain and regret. _'Please, Gaara, Sasuke...please hurry...my life as well as Naruto's depends on you,'_ she thought, pouring her thought into her expression. Hopefully, they got the hint. She followed Kasuke and saw Naruto struggling against Takuya's hold. It was a trap. They weren't planning on stealing Kyuubi from Naruto...they weren't even setting things up! "You lia-" Shiruki started to growl, then suddenly fell to the ground unconscious.

Meanwhile...

"We can't let her die!" Sasuke growled. He had been pacing for over twenty minutes. The only thing he was succeeding at was dwindling Gaara's much needed patience down to nothing. Sasuke paced faster as Gaara stood in silence, appearing calm. This guy had nerves of steel, it would appear to Sasuke. On the inside, however, was a different story.

Gaara's patience was slipping farther and farther away from existence as the Leaf Village shinobi rambled on and on about saving Shiruki. If anything, Gaara should be the edgy one. Not Sasuke. This was his lover, the carrier of his child! But he had to remain calm for fear that he would end up killing more than Kasuke and Takuya. He might end up killing Naruto, Sasuke, or possibly even Shiruki. This was indeed a suicide mission. Time slipped away faster. It had now been hours since Shiruki left with Kasuke. Neither Naruto nor Shiruki had come back. This could not be good. And he had yet to formulate a plan. And Sasuke's rambling was not helping his concentration any. He couldn't take it anymore. "You think I don't know that?!" Gaara snapped impatiently. "I am tired of hearing you ramble on about saving her! I know this! We need to think of a plan. We cannot rush in there blindly. They might kill her and Naruto!" he growled.

Sasuke stopped while Gaara snapped at him. As soon as he was done, he resumed pacing with a scowl. This was annoying. "Well-"

A scream was heard from the building that Kasuke had led Shiruki into. It sounded like Kasuke. Before Sasuke could react, Gaara darted past him. Sasuke followed and saw a dead Kasuke and Takuya. Naruto was slumped in the corner, struggling to get to his feet. His chakra was gone. He had apparently used it.

What was so confusing to Gaara was...how did he miss the enormously high amounts of chakra being thrown around by the four? This was unsettling. This was a huge mistake. It worried him beyond all else. If he would have merely sensed even a little, he would have rushed right in. But he sensed nothing. His sights drifted around the room as Sasuke ran to Naruto to help him to his feet. He was badly injured. Gaara's voice was heard amidst all the chaos. "Shiruki?" he whispered desperately.

As Sasuke turned, he saw Gaara holding a lifeless Shiruki. His eyes widened in disbelief. How could this be? Was he so upset that he didn't feel the chakra burst? Shiruki had so much chakra. And once she was done with the normal chakra, she still had the neko demon's. So why had he not sensed it? Things just got worse and worse by the minutes. He quickly helped Naruto over to the two and knelt down, Naruto at his side looking on, panting breathlessly. "Is she..." Sasuke couldn't finish the sentence. The thought scared him beyond anything that he had ever experienced. Gaara's hold on Shiruki tightened around her as he shook his head, refusing to believe that she was dead. She had to be alive. She just had to be. As if on cue, Shiruki's eyes fluttered open weakly. "Sh-Shiruki!" Sasuke and Naruto sighed in relief.

Gaara's eyes shot open instantly to travel to Shiruki's face. What a relief. She was alive. "Shiruki..." he whispered. She smiled weakly at him before coughing violently, her hand over her mouth. Gaara felt nothing but sadness replace relief. Sadness and despair washed over the young Kazekage. She was alive. But not by much. It was only a matter of time. Once her coughing subsided, Gaara pulled her hand away from her mouth, revealing blood. "What...no," he whispered.

Sasuke's eyes widened, as did Naruto's. They stared in disbelief. Kasuke and Takuya...had won. "Shiruki," they whispered in unison.

Shiruki looked at Naruto and Sasuke with an honest smile. "Naru...to...Sasu...ke..." she whispered. Sasuke and Naruto leaned closer. She was struggling to breathe. She was struggling even more to speak. "You guys...were family all along," she smiled. Tears fell from all their faces, except Shiruki's, whose wore a smile. "I love you guys..." she breathed. Naruto and Sasuke both held her hand on theirs, her hand resting in between both of their hands. She smiled again. She then turned her sights to Gaara, who was resisting the strongest urge to cry. "Gaara..." she whispered sweetly.

That did it. Tears fell from his eyes shamelessly. His one shot at happiness was not laying in his arms, dying. Leaving him once more. Shiruki's hand weakly raised to his face after Naruto and Sasuke released it to hug each other sadly. Gaara grabbed her hand gently and held it on his cheek. "You said...you said..." he said through tears. "You said you wouldn't leave me again," he whispered, a pained expression worn on his delicate features.

Shiruki smiled and shook her head. "I'm...now leaving you...I promised. I'm just...resting. I'll be awake soon," she smiled. They all knew she was lying. She was saying the words they all wished so desperately to believe. Why couldn't it be true? How they wished it could be true. Tears fell on her cheeks. "Gaara...don't cry," she whispered pleadingly. Tears rushed from her own eyes as she saw him crying. Her only love was crying over her yet again. It was sadness, mixed with fear that caused Shiruki to finally release her hidden tears. He stared at her with the same expression as when she left him ten years ago with Hiruka. "Gaara...do me a favor..." she said before another violent coughing fit attacked her savagely.

"Anything," he said somewhat desperately.

"Make me a promise," she said, removing her choker. "Don't go back to how you were...when I left," she said, placing the choker in his hand. Gaara nodded and looked down at his dying lover. "I'm sorry...looks like..." she breathed painfully. She rested a hand on her stomach. Gaara's vision drifted to her stomach also. A longing look replaced his overwhelming sadness. "Looks like...I let you down..." she breathed painfully.

Gaara shook his head and rested his hand on hers. "Don't say that...you didn't..." he assured her. It was true. She could never let him down. He'd never be disappointed in her no matter what she did. "You're only sleeping, right?" he said childishly. He knew it was a lie. But as long as he could believe that, he would be alright. Denial was the best medicine for heartbreak.

Shiruki's tears fell more rapidly. "Gaara...I love you so much!" she cried as she hugged him close. Her breathing became shallower. It was coming time for her to leave him again.

"I love you, Shiruki," he whispered as he held her closer and kissed her lips with such passion. He poured all his undying love into that one last kiss.

When he pulled away, Shiruki's face held a tender smile. Her eyes drifted shut. "Good..." she breathed quietly. Gaara felt her skin grow colder. He choked back his tears to look at her innocent face. "I'll...be back...soon," she breathed. Her breathing slowed and eventually...ceased.

At the moment, Gaara's grief hit him full on. Tears burst past his eyes. He hugged Shiruki's lifeless body close to his as he sobbed into her. He heard Naruto and Sasuke bawling also, mostly Naruto. It was indeed a sad time for both Konoha and Suna. A loss for Konoha...an even greater loss for Suna. As they sat there, the cared nothing for their reputations or social standings. Pride was nothing to them at the moment. They let their tears fall freely. This would indeed crush Suna and the Kazekage. Gaara's heart, right when it started to pump love and positive, neglected emotions through his body...was ripped out yet again by inconvenience of sadness. Was this all he was destined for? Grief? Death? Sadness? Pain?

Whatever the case...Gaara would never recover for the better. This had wounded him beyond all repair. It was just as Yashamaru told him long ago. Physical wounds can be healed with simple medicine. Wounds of the heart...their only remedy is love. And Gaara's love...was just ripped away and taken from him so brutally. The Village Hidden in the Sound would surely pay for this. A massive war between Sand and Sound...

Was about to begin.

TBC

A/N: TT so sad...if you don't feel even the slightest bit of remorse after reading this chapter, you are either heartless, or are my twin. Yeah...i don't cry so easily. Didn't cry writing this either Anyways...next chapter should be out soon. And sorry for the delay of chapter posting...my Internet was down . Stupid Internet incompetent morons...sheesh...anyways...R&R and keep reading! it gets better...;


	20. Shattered Dreams Pieced Back Together

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. Shiruki, Takuya, Kasuke, and some others are. Not Naruto cast

**Chapter 19: Shattered Dreams Pieced Back Together**

No doubt everyone was affected by Shiruki's death. As Gaara was heading back to Suna, holding his lifeless love in his arms, Naruto and Sasuke trailed sadly behind. It had affected everyone. Although Sasuke knew that it had affected Naruto and Gaara much more than it had him. Gaara had been the true victim here. Gaara had hoped that since Naruto and Sasuke, two accountable sources, were with him when he made it back to Suna to break the news, the village would not push all the blame on him. They already had issues trusting him as it is. This would not be good if they thought he killed his lover also. Even if it was an accident, it would still mean bad news for the young Kazekage. Not like it mattered to him anyways, considering the love of his life, not to mention, carrier of his child, had left him all alone. This had such an impact on Gaara's emotional state. Many times he questioned whether it was alright to live without her by his side. Many times he also questioned his purpose for living without her. Shiruki was everything to him. She brought emotions back into him. Ones he had forgotten. Ones he had neglected. And now that she was gone, unable to bring out his emotions any longer, he would recede back into himself, trusting no one, loving no one, having no one. No telling how depressed he was. This was a mere glimpse into the future of his depression. Silence. Seclusion. Anti-sociable behavior. Even isolation. All these were soon to affect others.

Gaara was snapped from his thoughts by Naruto's incoherent wailing. He stopped mid-step and glared at the blond shinobi. Sasuke saw the intensity of Gaara's glare and knew it to be trouble if he did not calm Naruto swiftly. He himself knew what it meant to get Gaara angry. Another Chuunin exam all over again... "I miss her!" Naruto wailed loudly.

This was no doubt grating Gaara's already stressed and strangled nerves. Gaara lowered his head sadly. He'd been lying if he said he didn't miss her also. "Naruto," he said lowly. Naruto hushed in fear. It was no so much his tone, more of his seriousness and eerie calmness. Gaara looked at him coldly with no life left in him. "Shiruki wouldn't want this. She would not want us to be crying over her..." he started quietly, looking at her lifeless, pale face. "I know you miss her. I do too. I'd be lying if I said I did not. But this is no way to honor her memory. Sulking. Crying. Wailing. None of it is beneficial to us. There will be grieving time later." He looked at Naruto, his face solemn, with an underlying grief of his own that Naruto missed. "It doesn't only affect you," he said calmly.

Naruto was so upset, he didn't see Gaara's own sadness in that look. It made sense though. Gaara was right. It was not beneficial to any of them to sit around and cry like babies. Naruto would have agreed, if not blinded by his own misery and sorrow. As a result, he lashed out. And at the wrong person. "But I'm the only one that's showing it! I haven't heard a peep from you-"

"Naruto!" Sasuke interrupted with his own ferocity. "I have had enough of your insolent babbling. Just because Gaara and I aren't crying...doesn't mean we're not affected!" he growled. He noticed Naruto straighten at his threatening tone and hush. He too noticed how harsh his words had been just now. Although he cared for his teammate, he never intentionally hurt him, unless he was joking around or fighting a rivalry battle with him. His expression softened just a little. "Naruto...Gaara is right. There's plenty of time for grieving. Just...now now," Sasuke said in a softer tone that caused Naruto to relax a little. He looked at Gaara and saw him looking to his left over his shoulder at the ground. The look in his eyes was a distant one. One of despair, angst, and just all around sadness. That was to be expected when you lost your whole world right in your arms, knowing you could do nothing to save her. "Gaara-"

"We should go." With that, he started off back to Suna. Sasuke understood, much as he hated to admit it, he did. Gaara continued onward and a silent tear fell on Shiruki's collarbone. It was all true. He did not show his emotions. He did not wish to. He obviously did not want these two morons to see him crying or grieving. No. That was on his own time. When he was alone. Isolated from the world. Isolated from himself.

It was hours until the group stopped for nightfall. Naruto and Sasuke shared a tent, whereas Naruto lent Gaara his to be alone with Shiruki. Gaara sat there, staring at her lifeless form. If only he had been there for her. If only he had gone with her instead of listening to her and staying back. He was too slow. The one time it counted, he was too late. Although she proved to put a good fight against the two, he was all too sure that it was her Neko demon that had disposed of them when it had been forcefully removed. It was, after all, the cat's wrath. He looked at her. At this time, she looked as if she were merely sleeping. A smile gracing her lips. She looked so peaceful. So heavenly. So angelic. Gaara grinned crookedly at her. He traced every outline of her body with his eyes, not dare defiling her sacred body while she was unaware. Not like she would be aware of it anymore, considering she was dead. She was the most beautiful thing on this planet. The most beautiful thing Gaara had ever laid eyes on. How much she meant to him could not be expressed in words. He held such adoration for her. A simple smile put him a dream state. It was the most amazing thing he had ever encountered. He was glad she was his, and he was hers. As he looked further, he saw blood splattered on her neck. His brow furrowed in sadness. The least he could do was to clean her up a little. With that thought, he reached behind him and dug out a towel. He poured water on it and lifted Shiruki's body up so that he could dispose of the unjustified red liquid defiling her skin. He gently wiped it away and came to her chest. He stopped and looked at her glorious body. How many times had that same body captivated him? How many times had he held it against his own, feeling every inch of her naked form? Too many. He quickly broke any thoughts of defilement and went back to removing the blood from her body. He came to her chest and looked up at her face, as if asking for permission he would never again receive.

Feeling fed up with himself, he angrily clenched the rag in his hand. His head lowered onto her collarbone as he held her in his arms, clinging to her as if she were his only means of life. In all truths, she was. After he was done shedding pent up tears, he removed the tattered shirt from her shoulders to reveal more blood. He wiped it away gently and resisted the urge to cry. He stopped when he came to her right shoulder. He distinctly remembered a big gushing wound there. Hence, all the blood concentrated in that single spot. But when he wiped the blood away, he saw something much to his shock.

The wound...was gone.

"Can't be," he said with utter disbelief. His eyes widened as he looked on. He checked the other shoulder, just in case his memory failed him. It had not. There was a wound there. But it was gone now. The Neko demon that lay dormant in Shiruki only healed Shiruki's wounds if she was alive and aware of it, if not consciously, then subconsciously. So, why was this wound healed? It should still be open. Still be caked over in blood.

He cupped her cheek gently in his hand. How could he not have noticed it before? He'd been staring at her long enough. So why hadn't he noticed the warmth and color to her cheeks? It did not make sense. Was he too blinded by his pathetic depression to notice? Or was it that he did notice but refused to believe it? In either case, Gaara, for once in a long, long time, was in disbelief. Could it be? Was it true?

Gaara got up quickly and looked around. It was faint, but Shiruki's body was warm. It was emitting heat. He quickly started to remove his shirts and sashes, and covered her. It was not much, but it could help, even just a little. It there was any chance of her being alive, he had to warm her. He knew of one way...but he would never do that. It repulsed him to "violate the dead."

As Gaara sat and watched her body carefully for any signs of life, he unconsciously started to tap his fingers on his knee as if waiting impatiently. Minutes drove on like years. He was about to lose hope when he saw redness return to her pale cheeks. "Shiruki..." he whispered as tears fell silently down his cheeks. He grabbed her hand in both of his, pressing it to his cheek happily. The Neko demon, not being able to find a suitable host to fit its needs and standards, was returning to Shiruki. It had not been fully extracted from her body. It was a gift from the gods! They had another chance. Gaara had another chance at happiness. Happiness he could only experience with the woman he was with right now. Shiruki had another chance to live. That was more important. As many times as he had said that he hated that "damn cat," he was truly grateful for its presence now. The Neko's demon spirit was slowly returning to her body, and in turn, restoring Shiruki's life. After all, it was against Shiruki's will that it left. It is only natural to return that which was stolen.

Gaara felt a pumping beneath his fingers. It was weak, really weak, but it was Shiruki's pulse. She was alive. She came back to him. Though she was unconscious, she was still alive. And that was all that mattered.

Meanwhile...

"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered in the dark of night. Said boy grunted and turned over to face Naruto. "Is...Gaara going to be alright? He's hurting more than the rest of us...she was all he had..." he whispered quietly. Tears threatened to push past again.

Sasuke's face dropped. "I honestly don't know, Naruto," he whispered back. As he studied Naruto's features, he saw him trying to mask his sadness and resist the strongest of urges to cry. "The question, Naruto, is...are _you _going to be alright?" Sasuke asked, sitting up to face him. It affected him as well, but Sasuke was used to being alone. It was Naruto he was concerned about. And chances are, Gaara wouldn't take this lightly either. In fact, Sasuke could see Gaara attempting suicide by removing Shukkaku, just to be with Shiruki. Oh the hell that would cause for Suna...

Naruto's crying burst through Sasuke's thoughts and contemplations. He was sitting with his knees pulled weakly to his chest, crying quietly. He wasn't going to be okay. This would indeed affect Naruto's happy-go-lucky nature. His crying only succeeded in paining Sasuke. He wasn't used to seeing his teammate like this. Nor did he wish to. "Sh-Shir-ruki...i-is g-gone," he stuttered through tears. His crying was getting worse. It wasn't long before he started hyperventilating.

Sasuke had to think fast. The only logical thing he could do was to comfort him. Comforting was not the Uchiha's strong suit. Sasuke was sitting up as well and didn't know exactly how to calm Naruto. He hated this. Being useless to help others. For once, he could not save Naruto. This is an emotional battle that was happening inside Naruto that Sasuke had no say in. Without thinking about it, he pulled Naruto close in his arms. He rubbed his back as Naruto cried into Sasuke's chest. His feeble fingers gripped the Uchiha's shirt helplessly. There was not much more Sasuke could do but hold him and whisper words of comfort into his ear. All that was left was for Naruto to stop crying and accept it, no matter how painful the realization was.

Meanwhile...

Gaara laid next to Shiruki, shirtless, holding her in his arms. His suspicions were confirmed. Her injuries were completely healed and her skin had its normal pale color to it. Now, all that was left was to wait for her to wake up. What a reunion that would be. He could not wait to see her beautiful smile that brought such warmth to the Kazekage's heart. That same smile that brought sunlight into his darkness. That same smile that captivated him and made him glad he was alive to be with her, by her side, in her heart.

Just as Gaara was about to fall into a calm state of relaxation, considering he needed Shiruki to sleep, he heard Sasuke's voice outside his tent. "Gaara? You awake?" Sasuke called.

What a pathetic question. _Was he awake?_ How could he possibly sleep? If he did, his personality would be consumed by Shukkaku and they would all be dead. Oh, that's just the kind of publicity a Kazekage needed. Never mind him being the main weapon intended to defend the village and that all the villagers were _already_ scared of him, but, oh, the stories that would be told of a homicidal Kazekage that killed his lover _and_ his teammates all in the same day! Now _that_ would surely gain people's trust and respect. Despite all these idiotic thoughts that one statement had gave birth to, nothing could spoil the young Kazekage's good mood at the moment. His love was alive and she would be awake soon. She would have kept her promise to wake up soon.

Gaara stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened. Had that one statement...could Shiruki had known that she would not die? Had she known that the Neko demon residing within her would return to her, rejoin with her soul, and give her her life back? Had she truly known all that were to happen? Or had it all been one big lie as a futile effort to console Gaara? This was truly amazing. Gaara grinned and looked at Shiruki before getting up quietly. As he pulled the tent flap back, he almost forgot to glare. He saw Sasuke with an arm around an "inconsolable" Naruto, crying his eyes out, and nodded in understanding. He let them in and went back to Shiruki's side. "You are not able to sleep," he stated, rather than asked, not looking up from Shiruki's colorful face.

Sasuke almost scoffed at that remark. "I can sleep fine," he bragged,earning a glare from Naruto. That had come out wrong. "It's just this loser," he said, pointing at Naruto somewhat grumpily. This Uchiha arrogance succeeded in pissing Gaara off royally. How dare he be so heartless. How dare he say he can sleep after such a tragedy. It was utterly despicable. It turned Gaara's stomach that such a remark was made, let alone implied. Before he could carry out his anger on the arrogant Uchiha, said boy spoke again with something more sensible. "Why is...her face colored?" he asked, his eyes wide.

Naruto's head shot up at this question. He rushed to Shiruki's side and looked at Gaara as if seeking permission. Gaara's vision lowered to Shiruki's body and Naruto saw a slight smile, one he had never seen before, grace Gaara's lips. Of course, this was hidden from Sasuke. He'd never hear the end of it. Naruto had to do a double-take to make sure even he had seen it. Once he got a silent ok from Gaara, he pressed his cheek against her. Tears fell as he lifted his head to look at the two, confirming Sasuke's question. "Sasuke...she's alive," he breathed in sad relief. Gaara smiled and nodded. Sasuke smiled sincerely. This was the one time all three boys could share a heart warming smile in each other's presence. Gaara had hoped it to be the last too. The only one he allowed to see him smile was Yashamaru, and Shiruki. This was truly a miracle. One the Kazekage would not take lightly.

TBC

A/N: Alright. Whatcha think? I know I kind of left you all hanging with Shiruki dying like that...but I couldn't resist. But now ya know. She is alive. Now it's just the matter of her waking up. And what mental damages she will sustain, if any. And allow me to clear something up...for all those yaoi lovers out there, myself included, sorry. Sasuke and Naruto are not lovers, nor will they be in this story. It is strictly GaaraxShiruki. Sorry for the little...tease, I guess you'd call it. Anyways...R&R Things are about to get interesting. As they say..."the shit's about to hit the fan"


	21. Evil Has an Apprentice

Disclaimer: Naruto and Naruto characters are not mine. Shiruki is mine through and through

**Chapter 20: Evil has an Apprentice**

Naruto looked at Shiruki and laid next to her quietly. She was alive. What a blessing. It had truly been a miracle. He fell asleep with a smile on his face, cuddled next to Shiruki, hoping she'd be awake by tomorrow morning when he got up. Or at least showed signs of waking.

Sasuke and Gaara sat up in silence. Sasuke noticed Gaara stroking her forehead, drawing something while sitting with his head on his arm. His arm rested on his knees that were pulled tightly to his chest. Sasuke saw Naruto cuddle closer to Shiruki comfortably for warmth in his sleep. Sasuke couldn't help but grin at the innocence. His face suddenly turned serious as an unpleasant thought crossed through his mind, screaming at him to bring it up to Gaara. So he did. "Do you think the Akatsuki are behind this?" he asked seriously. Gaara stopped tracing and looked at him with a glare that urged him to continue. "I mean, think about it. They Akatsuki were after Naruto for Kyuubi...and you for Shukkaku...so it makes sense," Sasuke reasoned.

The Uchiha had a point. Gaara shook his head. "Akatsuki aren't behind this," he said simply. "They were working for their own-" Gaara stopped mid sentence, sensing something rather annoying to add to his already foul mood. As if things couldn't get any worse. He looked at Sasuke with a glare from hell, causing Sasuke to look at him curiously. "Sound Village," he growled. He shot up and went outside the tent angrily, trying to get a good idea of where the nuisance was.

"Gaara, wh-"

Gaara cut off Sasuke sharply. "Stay with Shiruki and Naruto," he snapped. When he heard Sasuke gripe, he quickly turned to the raven-haired shinobi with an evil glare that would have killed. "We can't afford to leave them alone. Now, get in there!" he snarled. He growled as he grabbed his gourd and darted off into the forest, following the sounds. He came to a clearing and glared around him for the Sound ninja. His sand darted up to his right and Gaara growled. How pathetic. His patience was slipping. It was all he could do not to just release Shukkaku to take care of the stupid ninja and take out his frustrations on them. Sand darted to his left and Gaara smirked. It was useless.

"Shukkaku protects you well, Gaara of the Sand," a female voice said from the shadows. A figure emerged. A woman with violet eyes, long red hair, donning Sound Village garments stood there glaring at him. She stood at about 5'9 and appeared to be about nineteen years of age. Her body build was slender and her skin was pale.

"What do you want?" Gaara snapped coldly. He had neither the time, nor the patience to deal with her. No doubt she would push him to his limits tonight. Any other time, no matter how much he despised the village hidden in the sound, any other night besides this one, he could deal with them rationally. But tonight was suicide.

The woman laughed. "Quite the snappy one, eh, Kazekage?" she challenged, earning a glare from Gaara. She laughed lightly and stared at him. "My, my...seems Lord Kazekage is angry with Sound Village for killing his bitch," she teased. Gaara's expression hardened as she called Shiruki that derogatory name. This woman was indeed pissing him off. At any moment now, he would snap and she would die. But first, he had to get information. She noticed a fierce, defensive look in his eyes and grinned. "Seems I struck a nerve," she mused. "To answer your question, Lord Orochimaru wishes to possess Shiruki's Neko demon."

Gaara seemed to be getting impatient again with this infuriating woman. She was worse than Tsunade. Much worse. At least with Tsunade, he could keep his calm demeanor. With this woman, however, he could not wait to kill her. It also didn't help that she was from Sound Village. "Tell me something I _don't_ know," he growled. "What does Orochimaru want with her demon? Why does he want it so badly?" he glared.

The woman snickered. "Like I'd tell you," she countered. "Misha answers only to Orochimaru!" she growled defiantly as she flung shuriken at him.

Wrong move. That was all he needed to reach past his limit. He was trying to calm himself so he could find out more but this had done it. Gaara had had enough of this insolent woman. He growled as the sand shot up to form a sand clone, catching them, and flinging them back at her just as when he faced Sasuke at the Chuunin exams. The clone fired them right back at the woman and shrank back into Gaara's gourd. The sand shot back out of the gourd for his control. He uncrossed his arms and held it out toward the woman. The sand flew at Misha and she quickly dodged and tried to escape it. Gaara signaled the direction of the sand and he knew how futile her efforts were to try and evade it. Soon enough, the sand would catch up. It always did. After a brief chase, just as Gaara predicted, the sand caught her, encircling her body. She whimpered a little at the grating pain. This woman deserved Gaara's worst method of death. "Desert Coffin," he growled as he closed his fist slowly, earning an ear-shattering scream from Misha. Her blood shot out of the sand and rained over the environment, spilling on trees, sand, dirt, and Gaara's body. He growled again as he stomped back to the others. How good it felt to kill that insolent woman. She deserved worse but he knew Shiruki would never forgive him. No one called his lover and the mother of his future child a "bitch." He would not stand for it.

Meanwhile...

Sasuke sat impatiently with a sleeping Naruto and unconscious Shiruki, awaiting the grumpy Gaara's return. What was wrong with him anyways? Shiruki was alive, yet he was in a fouler mood than normal. This truly bugged Sasuke. Gaara was pissing him off with his pissy mood swings. It was obvious too. Sasuke sat, in tune with his surroundings, thanks to his Sharingan, and tapped his fingers impatiently. You'd think he and Gaara were lovers, not Shiruki and Gaara with all his fidgeting and impatience. He heard quiet footsteps and shot up to a defensive position. He slumped when he noticed the grumpiness of the steps nearing. He rolled his eyes, deactivated his Sharingan, and slumped back down with annoyance. It was only Gaara. He didn't need his Sharingan to be able to tell that. The footsteps were enough. As if on cue, Gaara stepped through the tent threshold with blood splattered on his neck and chest. "What the hell happened?" Sasuke demanded, trying to keep it down for the sleeping Naruto. He didn't want to have to deal with his whining _and _a moody Gaara. That'd be torture and, not to mention, the ultimate test of his already short nerves.

Gaara glared at him. As if he needed to explain himself to this bastard. He took his seat next to Shiruki in silence. He grabbed the same fabric he used earlier to clean Shiruki of her blood and wiped it off of himself with disgust. "Sound ninja," he growled out reluctantly. "Orochimaru's work...even in death, he still orders them. How pathetic," he scoffed.

Sasuke's eyes widened. "Orochimaru? But..." he was silent for a minute. It all came together now. The only logical explanation would be... "An apprentice." Gaara nodded. Sasuke wasn't as dumb as he took him for. He could be smart when he wasn't being a total ass. "What do they want? Is it still Kyuubi? Or Shukkaku? Or is it..." he asked, looking at Shiruki.

Gaara nodded solemnly. It was not Kyuubi anymore. "They want Shukkaku and Nikkaku...my demon...and Shiruki's," he growled. Sasuke straightened. "She didn't say what they want them for, but you can count that it is not good. The odds are not in our favor. Especially if Shiruki does not wake up soo-" he stopped and quickly looked at Shiruki. Why hadn't it clicked earlier?! She was asleep! Without the seal! He quickly performed the Demon Sealing jutsu and instantly regretted it. He was exhausted. He could hardly bring up his chakra, let alone concentrate. Sasuke watched intently, seeing Gaara having issues. He noticed that Shiruki's demonic chakra was subsiding, if only a little, but it was not enough. Gaara's form slumped a little and he kept his finger touching the nearly completed seal. "Damn it...my chakra's exhausted..." he growled, trying harder to put forth just enough chakra to complete the seal. It was useless.

Sasuke's eyes widened. He recognized this jutsu. "If she...if that seal breaks, we're in trouble." Sasuke made gestures for one of Tsunade's jutsu: Chakra Transfer. Of course, she had perfected it in secrecy, but Sasuke used his Sharingan to copy it just as Kakashi had taught him. He touched Gaara and some of his chakra entered his body.

Gaara looked at Sasuke with confusion. He soon gathered that Sasuke was helping. He nodded and turned back to Shiruki, finishing the jutsu. He saw it was done so he let go. The sudden energy and loss of, made him rather unstable. He almost fell on Shiruki but he quickly caught himself. He placed his hands on either side of her shoulders. He was exhausted, physically and mentally. He sat up weakly and sighed. This was going to be a long night...

"Are you going to be alright by yourself?" Sasuke asked, stretching. He was tired, he ached, and he was drained too. Again...another stupid question. Since when did Gaara ever need someone to look after him? This arrogant, ignorant Konoha shinobi was worse that Tsunade! And Tsunade was bad.

Gaara almost scoffed at the question. Now was no time to argue. It would only result in him either killing Sasuke, or releasing Shukkaku. Neither was acceptable at the time. "Go to sleep," Gaara said, watching his love sleep quietly. Sasuke nodded and went back to his tent with a quiet "good night" directed to Gaara. With Sasuke gone, he could now sit alone and have time to think. Who was this apprentice of Orochimaru's? How did they come to study under Orochimaru? And what's worse...did they know the person? All these questions did not present welcomed answers. Gaara sighed heavily before tracing the forehead mark he placed on Shiruki. A tiny grin surfaced on his delicate face as he did so. Touching her in some sort of way always comforted him. She twitched a little and Gaara stopped. Movement! He was joyous she could move. That meant she could hear and respond. Question was...when would she fully awaken? When would she grace everyone with her heart warming smile that everyone loved so much? It would be no good if she was to stay like this...in this state forever. That single thought crushed Gaara. He took her hand in his and kissed it softly. "Please wake up...please wake up soon," he whispered. He saw Shiruki's mouth twitch into a small smile and then disappear as soon as he had seen it. He grinned at her and kissed her forehead before retreating back to his position by her side, watching her and Naruto sleep.

The next day...

Gaara sat, tracing Shiruki's forehead mark absent-mindedly. Naruto slowly awakened and looked at Shiruki. His blue eyes were happy, yet sad. "Still hasn't woken up yet, huh?" he asked, rubbing the sleep from his cerulean blue eyes. Gaara shook his head and moved the hair from her face gently. Naruto sighed as he got up. He saw the mark on Shiruki's neck. "Is that..." Gaara nodded. "Demon Sealing jutsu. What happens if she is still unconscious when it runs out?" he asked, suddenly alarmed.

Gaara slowly looked at him. He didn't know. It would definitely mean trouble. That much was for sure. "That's why we must get Tsunade quickly," he said somewhat urgently, but his voice was still the same emotionless coldness that Naruto remembered.

"But we're on our way to Suna-"

"We make a detour," Gaara grinned. He knew a way. That much was obvious. However, Naruto and Sasuke did not. It was a path that only Shiruki and Gaara knew about. They took it when they were kids. And they found out where it led to. Konoha.

TBC

A/N: alright...story's movin right along. Thank you so much to all my readers!!! It means alot! And by the way...i will try to get more lemons in the near future...right now is kind of...hectic though...but do me a favor. If you wish to see Naru/Sas action, just email me yes or no. lookin to hear from you. It's you decision. Thanks again and R&R please


	22. Path to Konoha: Gaara's Contemplation

Disclaimer: Annoying little thing...I do not own Naruto or its characters...for the millionth time .

**Chapter 21: The Path to Konoha: Gaara's Contemplation**

Naruto and Sasuke, along with an anxious and equally stressed Gaara, made their way to a clearing. It stretched for miles. Not a soul around. The path was still untrodden. Gaara grinned. At least no one found the spot. That was good. It meant there was no danger lurking ahead or behind. Once they disappeared into this path, their scents were covered by the fresh smell of the flowers and trees. Perfect hiding and get away. Gaara stopped at the mouth of the trail to look back at Sasuke and Naruto. "We must make it past this trail before sunset. Is that understood?" he said sternly. If they did not make it before the sun set, Nikkaku would start to devour Shiruki's personality, just as Shukkaku threatened to do. Or worse...Nikkaku might be set free. Each were equally unfavorable. That only made matters more pressing. Naruto and Sasuke nodded and Gaara looked down the path. "We cannot afford to rest, nor stop for the night. Is that understood?" he asked, looking back at them once more. Naruto looked weary. If it came to it, Sasuke would have to carry him. Reluctantly with much hesitation, Naruto nodded. Sasuke sighed and nodded as well. He knew what would happen. Naruto would get tired, Sasuke would have to carry him just as always just to get through the blasted path. Gaara nodded, seeing they understood. "Alright. Let's get going," he said solemnly, darting off through the path. In order to make it through this path, they had to run most of the way. If they did not, they risked death and injury. Neither were favorable yet again.

Naruto kept up rather nicely as did Sasuke. As they ran and darted under tree branches, stray bushes, and many other things, Naruto's pace did not slow. "Hey, Gaara...how long is this path?" he asked out of curiosity. It had irked him not to know. But he felt that if he did know, he would be tempted to whine.

Gaara glanced back at Naruto with a glare and then increased his pace, knowing Naruto would not like it very much. "The furthest Shiruki and I have traveled into this path was four miles. It was much longer though. As long as we keep up this pace, we should make the four mile mark in less than two hours. But then there is the question of how long the entire path is," he said lowly. This was not any good news to him either. It couldn't have been too much longer than four miles, due to the fact that by the time they reached the four mile mark, they could see a clearing. He distinctly remembered a clearing out of the foresty path. That must have been the exit. If not...things were more impossible than to their liking.

For once, Naruto didn't complain. He simply nodded and kept up his fast pace. "Four miles, eh?" he said more to himself. _'I can do that...I have to. I won't let Sasuke carry me. I don't want to be a burden. Besides...the pervy sage made me run more than that during my training!'_ he thought to him self stubbornly.

As Gaara traveled faster, his thoughts fueled his anger, which in turn fueled his speed_. 'Orochimaru...has an apprentice? How can that be? How can he have an apprentice when no one was seen with him besides that glasses wearing medical ninja?'_ he thought harshly. That "glasses wearing medical ninja" was more than just a lackey. Orochimaru depended on him all too much. The depending on Kabuto started more or less when Sarutobi used the forbidden jutsu to disable his hands. That jutsu cripple Orochimaru far past any repairable standard. He could no long use his jutsu. That was the ultimate punishment the previous Hokage inflicted on him. Knowing full well he could not be as strong as he once could. Disabling his jutsu left Orochimaru defenseless. So, then, why and how could Orochimaru have an apprentice? In order to have an apprentice, the master must show them things. They apprentice cannot go off of mere words to perform things. Unless...Orochimaru had been training this apprentice long before his battle with Sarutobi. Gaara's stomach turned at that mere thought. How could no one have detected he was up to something? It didn't make sense. But suddenly, everything came together.

That was why Orochimaru was not heard from in so long. That is why the Leaf Village was living peacefully without the looming fear of Orochimaru's attacks. And that is when Orochimaru trained his apprentice. When he was at his strongest. It all suddenly made sense now. Orochimaru had gone into hiding to train the apprentice. Long tedious years of training the apprentice paid off. With Orochimaru's death, now was a perfect opportunity. But one question still nagged at Gaara's conscience. Who was the apprentice?

Contemplating these things had left Gaara utterly deaf to Sasuke and Naruto's words. It turns out, Naruto was griping again. Gaara snapped from his thoughts just in time to see Sasuke next to him, keeping pace with Naruto on his back. He knew it. Naruto had never been one for traveling. Just how long had he been in thought? How far had they come? He looked to the sky. Judging by the position of the sun, it had been an hour and a half. Perfect time. His thoughts had distracted him long enough to tune out his surroundings and think rationally about things. "What are you thinking?" Sasuke asked, still facing toward their destination.

Gaara looked at him and kept up his speed. He preferred not to share his thoughts with the Uchiha but he could be of some assistance, considering he knew more of Orochimaru than he did himself. He glared onward and finally spoke. "Orochimaru had to have begun the apprentice's training sometime before he fought Sarutobi of Leaf Village. It would have been impossible to continue training after the battle, due to the simple fact that Orochimaru's jutsu was rendered useless. It would make sense. That is why Orochimaru was missing for that brief period and Konoha was at peace." He stopped for a moment, organizing his thoughts. "Orochimaru and that medical ninja that is always with him-"

"Kabuto," Sasuke corrected.

Gaara glared at him and nodded before continuing. This Uchiha imbecile really struck Gaara's nerves quite often for comfort. He was more annoying than he was useful. But nonetheless, he was useful. He sighed before continuing. "While Orochimaru and Kabuto were training this apprentice, it had to have been long before Sarutobi and Orochimaru's fight. It would have been useless to try to teach someone with mere words. He would have to have Kabuto know all those jutsu. And that is not possible, even for his rank and experience. Kabuto is a mere medical ninja. Nothing more. He is there to aid Orochimaru. Not the other way around. And besides...it would be too messy for the fool," Gaara reasoned.

Sasuke nodded. He was right. Kabuto would not stoop so low to learn forbidden jutsu to teach the novice apprentice. So his way of thinking was correct. This all took place when Konoha was free from the threat of Orochimaru. Sasuke sighed with Naruto taking in all this information as well. "So, what do you plan on doing, now that you know Orochimaru has an apprentice? And how do you plan on finding out who it is?" challenged Sasuke.

Gaara was quiet. He did not know. All that mattered at the moment was getting Shiruki to Tsunade. He sighed quietly at the question. He too was at a loss. He knew this information, but what could he do with it? How did this help him any? It only placed the time in which Orochimaru trained the apprentice. They still had no leads on who it was, or where they were. This was truly aggravating. Gaara growled. The questions would not stop running through his head. Who was it? Why did they all of a sudden take up an interest to attack now? Why were they not after Naruto or Sasuke anymore? Why did they turn their interest to Gaara and Shiruki? All these questions were left unanswered. Sasuke must have seen the questions running through his head because he sighed also. He was lost as Gaara was. Naruto was not helping with his silence. In order to work out a problem, you had to talk it over. Talk out loud. None were doing either one of those options. Instead, they let the questions fester inside their minds, nagging at them to be answered. Too many questions...not enough answers. "The best we could do at the moment is to concentrate on Shiruki and Nikkaku. After she wakes up, we'll ask her about Takuya and Kasuke. That bothersome woman that I killed earlier offered no information," he growled. She was rather insolent. It annoyed him that someone could be that ignorant.

Sasuke nodded. "I guess you're right. How much further anyways?" he asked, truly curious. He was getting sort of tired himself. They had been traveling for a while now. How much longer until they saw the exit to this four mile long path?

Gaara rolled his eyes. Why were Leaf ninja so impatient and so annoying? It pissed Gaara off. But they were teammates and they were Shiruki's, soon to be his too, family. So he would let them be. "A little further. About another couple of minutes. Quit whining," he growled. He sped up his pace, darting far in front of Sasuke and Naruto. He saw the opening to the end of the trail and burst through it, his senses on high alert. He looked around for a minute and noticed they were on the outskirts of Konoha. All they had to do was walk around the village all and they would be at the entrance, facing traffic control. Sasuke and Naruto stopped beside him and recognized where they were. Gaara started off again and sighed. He was getting tired again. He and the others made it to the entrance to Konoha and darted past, the traffic control taking note of their entrance.

Sasuke ran faster and looked behind to see Gaara following. They only had a limited time to make it before sun down. Sasuke led them to Tsunade's quarters quickly. They ran up the stairs and almost crashed into Shikamaru and Kiba on the way. When they saw Gaara holding Shiruki, they followed with concern. They too had gotten close with her. They were all a big family. All of them cared for her in some way or another. Too bad that Shikamaru and Kiba only saw the wrong side of her before she met up with Gaara again. If they saw that side, the one when she was with Gaara, then things would be different. But nonetheless, they followed. After all...she was their comrade.

Gaara and the others burst into Tsunade's office and Tsunade shot up out of her sleep. A paper fell from her forehead and she looked at the interruption. Gaara stepped forward and glared at her. "Help her. We did the seal, but she's unconscious. If she wakes up before the seal runs out..." he said. He didn't need to finish. After all, she had taught it to them.

Tsunade sighed. She took Shiruki from his arms and laid her on the desk, having it already being cleared. She pulled her shirt down and saw the mark on her neck. She saw the circle around the demon symbol start to fade and she observed Shiruki's vital organs. She was fine. She was alive. This would make things easier. She looked up from observing the unconscious girl and glared at all of them. "Get her to the infirmary! Now!" she ordered.

Gaara lifted Shiruki and darted to the infirmary swiftly. Within seconds, he was there, followed by a weakened and exhausted Sasuke with Naruto still on his back, and Kiba with Akamaru and Shikamaru. Last to enter was Tsunade and Sakura. After all, Sakura was Tsunade's apprentice and she had saved Kankuro when he went head to head with Sasori of the Red Sand. "Step back. All of you. Sakura, help me out here," Tsunade said as she put her hair up and rolled up her sleeves. Sakura nodded and stood at attention awaiting orders. "Check her vital signs and make sure her heart beat is steady." Sakura did as she was told and Tsunade, in the meantime, turned to Gaara. "How could this happen?!" she asked hysterically. "Explain what happened!"

Gaara did not like being ordered around. He returned the answer with the same ferocity. "She was attacked and captured saving Uzumaki! Two Sound ninja were after our inner demons! They managed to extract part of it, but the main reason she is alive now is because Nikkaku is returning to her!" Gaara growled back just as evilly.

Tsunade's eyes widened at this. "Sound you say?" she questioned. How could this be? Orochimaru was dead. So how could Sound have anything to do with it? This was perplexing to her just as it had been to Gaara and the others before they started to piece things together.

"Tsunade-sama. She's fine. Her heart is weak but...she should be alright. We're ready for the operation," Sakura said, turning to Tsunade.

Tsunade nodded. She turned back to Gaara. "You, Kazekage, hold her down. This is a delicate operation. Even the slightest twitch and she could die."

TBC

A/N: next chapter down!!! I love writing this story! And thank you so much for all the support! It means a great deal to me. Anyways...time to start the other chapter R&R! And keep reading!


	23. Risky Procedure Proves Near Fatal

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine...nor will any of the characters ever will be...sighs I need a Gaara TT

**Chapter 22: Risky Procedure Proves Near Fatal**

Gaara nodded and hoped that Shiruki would not die because of this. After all, there was the impending threat that she could very well die with such a risky procedure. Gaara walked to Shiruki's body and Tsunade and Sakura started to remove her shirt. Bandages were covering her chest, that much Gaara was thankful for. "Hold her down by her shoulders. Like this," she said, demonstrating how to press down on her shoulders to keep her from squirming. She released Shiruki and Gaara did as he was told. He held her down softly at first, until Tsunade spoke again. "Alright...tighten up. Here it goes."

The procedure was to have Shiruki drink a potion that specialized in relaxing the body, then they would send chakra through her body, to get her heart pumping faster to awaken her. In other words, they were going to increase her adrenaline. They had to be careful, though, because if the chakra, especially that high of an amount, were sent into the wrong part of the heart, Shiruki would go into cardiac arrest. The procedure was indeed tricky and should only be performed by the most skilled of medical ninja. Sakura saw the uneasiness of Gaara as he held Shiruki down. She tried to touch him, but Shukkaku shot up and wouldn't allow it. When the sand retreated, Gaara looked at Sakura. She had hurt in her eyes, but she still had a smile. "It'll be alright. Don't worry. Alright?" she asked as she prepared a potion her and Tsunade made seconds earlier.

Gaara nodded and looked down at Shiruki. This was killing him. Tsunade sighed. "Now, Kazekage..." she began. Gaara looked at her for a second. "Whatever may happen, do not lose control. There will be screaming. Do not be alarmed. It is her body rejecting the chakra at first. Once she stops resisting, the screaming will regress. Understand?" she asked, looking at him seriously. Gaara looked at Shiruki again and nodded. "Good...Sakura...the potion," she said, handing her the potion. Sakura sighed before lifting Shiruki's body up to elevate her. She poured the concoction in and stroked Shiruki's throat to make her swallow it. She laid her back down and waited. Once she saw that Shiruki was starting to reject that potion, Tsunade started to form a ball of chakra in her hand. "Sakura!" she yelled as she put her hand near Shiruki's chest. Sakura assisted Gaara by pinning Shiruki's wrists above her head. Tsunade started to inch the ball into her chest and Shiruki's eyes squinted shut in pain. It wouldn't be so bad, at least that is...until she started screaming bloody murder. Naruto and Sasuke stood back, Sasuke holding back said blond. They watched in fear as Shiruki emitted ear shattering painful screams. Gaara turned his head to the side as he held down her thrashing. Tsunade looked at him and then back at Shiruki. She inched the ball of chakra further into her and Shiruki screamed louder. Her legs kicked and her back arched, but they were firmly held in place by Sakura and Gaara. Naruto came over to hold her legs as soon as Tsunade almost got kicked in the face. Tsunade kept inserting the chakra and finally, Shiruki's body gave out in defeat. Her screaming became minimal with silent winces and twitches and Gaara was relieved. He saw the sweat covering her forehead and he wished this wasn't happening. He had to watch his love go through pain. Unimaginable pain. And he did nothing. He was holding her down so she could endure it. How pathetic he felt. And that she did. She endured it. She endured it to the very end.

Tsunade felt her heart pumping slowly in her body through the ball of chakra and closed her eyes. "Things are going to get tricky now..." she whispered to Sakura. Sakura nodded and she increased her grip on Shiruki's wrists, nudging for Gaara and Naruto to do the same. They did and she nodded to Tsunade. She proceeded to then transfer her chakra into Shiruki at waves. Steady blastful waves that would shock her heart into faster beats. She had to be careful because even the slightest of inconsistencies would prove fatal. With a steady push, Tsunade forced chakra into Shiruki's heart. Her heart beat heavily and then went back to beating regularly, not increasing in the slightest. She remained motionless. Tsunade then pushed again. This time with more force. Her heart beat harder than last time and went back to normal again. Nothing changed. Tsunade was getting frustrated, but she must remain calm. If she lost her temper, she was bound to insert too much. With another push, something terrible happened. Shiruki's body was sent into convulsions.

Shiruki sat up, against Gaara and Sakura's will and clutched her chest in pain. She screamed loudly and convulsed. "Damn it! Get her down! I need to extract the chakra before Nikkaku takes this opportunity to surface!!" Tsunade yelled. Sakura and Gaara attempted to get Shiruki back down, but only got a slap and a slash from said girl. Her heart was beating much too fast. She screamed and tore at her chest, trying to relieve the pressure that suffocated her. Her breathing was much too fast and the sweat on her body was drenching her pale skin. Gaara watched in terror as he put a hand on Shiruki's shoulder. She tried to get him off, but he remained. He forcefully pushed her back and Shiruki kept clutching her chest. Her heart felt like it was going to implode or explode, whichever happened first. With each strangled breath, it hurt more. Tears leaked from the girl's eyes as she clutched her chest harder. Her heart beat was irregular and much too rapid to be safe. Then, with a final scream, she fell back, limp. Tsunade's eyes widened. She quickly formed another ball of chakra and performed a sort of...chakra induced CPR. She had to jump start her heart again and then it was back to square one. She put the ball of chakra into her body again and performed the "CPR" which was not too easy. After a few minutes of desperate attempts to get Shiruki back to the living, it succeeded. Her heart started beating. Weakly at first, then more pronounced. She sighed and rested her forehead on Shiruki's chest in relief.

She looked at Gaara and nodded. Gaara lolled his head back weakly and sighed. Sakura looked at Naruto and gave a thumbs up. Naruto's face perked up and he wiped the tears away. Tsunade looked at the seal. Only five minutes left, judging by the weakness of the seal. She growled and formed more chakra. "Hold her down. We must hurry! Only five minutes left until Nikkaku surfaces." Gaara and Sakura and Naruto all took their respective places in holding down the girl. Tsunade inserted the ball of chakra into Shiruki's chest again and sighed before attempting it again. She pushed once...nothing. She waited a few seconds, pushed again...slight increase. It was working. She waited a few more seconds, pushed again...another slight increase. She smiled and pushed again after a few more seconds...instant rapidity. She quickly retracted her hand and Shiruki's eyes burst open. Her breathing was staggered of course, but nothing to be concerned about. She started panting and blinked a few times, trying to regain her vision. Sakura released her hold, as did Naruto. Gaara stayed in disbelief. Shiruki sat there panting quietly. Tsunade smiled when Shiruki's eyes landed on her. "Listen to me carefully. Move your fingers." Shiruki hesitantly moved her fingers with much force. She was exhausted. It wasn't everyday that you died from a medical procedure then brought back not even a minute later. "Good. Now, lift you right arm." She had to be sure her body was responding. If she could lift her arm, the procedure was a success.

Shiruki did as she was told and lifted her arm. Tsunade smiled and nodded. She looked at Gaara, who was standing there with wide eyes, not breathing and motionless. "Uh, Gaara? Breathe," Tsunade instructed. Gaara looked at her slowly and realized he wasn't breathing. He started to breathe again and he blinked. Tsunade nodded and looked at everyone present. Shikamaru, Kiba, Choji, Neji, Lee, Naruto, Sasuke, TenTen, Kakashi, Gai, Hinata, and even Ino. She smiled and nodded. "The operation was a success. She will live!" she said as she exited. She went back to her quarters, leaving happy shinobi crowding around the bed where she lay. They were all happy she was alive.

Sakura sighed. "Give her some room...she still needs her rest..." she instructed. Everyone nodded and stepped back, and out of the room, leaving Gaara and Shiruki alone. The door was shut, but some still looked through the window.

Gaara and Shiruki looked at each other. Her breathing was still struggled, but she was awake. He smiled sincerely and removed the demon sealing jutsu instantly. Shiruki was still looking at him as though it were the first time. Neither of them spoke. They just looked and admired. Shiruki brought her hand up to Gaara's cheek and Gaara seized it, pressing it lovingly against his cheek. She smiled her bright smile. Though it still had weakness and exhaustion, it was her smile. "Sorry to keep you waiting," she whispered. A single tear fell on her hand and she looked at him. She sat up and was instantly seized in Gaara's arms in a tight embrace. Shiruki returned it and cried in his arms. "I-"

"Don't ever leave me again," Gaara whispered. Though it was more of a plea than a demand. It killed him just now. To see her writhing in pain. Knowing he could do nothing about it. That he couldn't save her earlier with Takuya and Kasuke. "You...you died," he whispered, his grip tightening around her. "You screamed...you were in pain..." he whispered more desperately.

"Gaara...I'm fine now...I'm not going to leave you." She brought her hands up to his face and pulled away a little to look at him. She brought her lips to his and kissed him softly, pouring all her renewed love and passion into that single kiss.

Meanwhile...

"Wow...who knew Gaara had game?" Kiba whispered, looking through the window. All the Leaf Village shinobi that were present looked through the window, awestruck. Gaara was kissing someone. And that someone was no ordinary someone. It was Shiruki. Akamaru whined a little and tilted his head to the side under Kiba's hood.

Shikamaru scratched the back of his head with a small blush. "What a drag..." he said simply.

Ino grinned. "But, Shikamaru...you're only saying that because you wanted to do that," she teased, earning a blush from Shikamaru and a stillness.

He looked at her with a bright red face and then averted his glance. "You're so annoying..." he said bluntly. Ino just giggled. "Anyway, why are we spying on them? Don't you know that Gaara will probably be pissed?" he warned.

The rest just grinned sheepishly at him. Shikamaru sank back and sat on the bench, losing interest. He sat quietly while the others spied. Neji soon joined him, along with TenTen, Choji, Sakura, and Kakashi. They all stood there awkwardly with smiles on their faces. She was alive.

TBC

A/N: Don't ya just love how we have spies among the hidden leaf village? And those spies are always nosy? At least I saved Shika, Kakashi, and Neji from the upcoming- is gagged and tied to prevent spoilers

Yes...um...anyways...on with the next chapter!!! Should be out soon! R&R


	24. A Night in Konoha

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine...these things are really annoying .

**Chapter 23: A Night in Konoha**

Gaara sat on the bed with Shiruki, holding her tightly. She cuddled close to him and didn't want to let go ever again. Shiruki held onto Gaara's shirt tightly. He could tell just by her grip that she was scared. That she was more than scared; she was terrified. He hugged her close and sat there in silence. Shiruki whispered something and Gaara missed it, considering she spoke into his chest, sending her hot breath down his skin. He shuddered and pulled her back a little. Tears were streaming down her pale cheeks. She was crying. No. She was bawling. He looked at her and didn't understand. "What is it? Are you in pain?" he asked, suddenly concerned, more than she wanted him to be.

Shiruki shook her head and held her stomach. Gaara's sight traveled to her stomach and he had forgotten. The baby. His eyes widened. She looked up at him with eminent sadness. "I...can't feel it like before...it's not there..." she whispered through tears. She clutched her stomach and kept crying hysterically. Gaara's heart wrenched. Suddenly, it became harder for him to breathe. "I-I'm s-so s-so-sorry..." she cried. She convulsed and cried.

Gaara felt overwhelming sadness. He took her in his arms tightly and held her. His head was buried in her shoulder as he too felt tears of sadness flow swiftly from his eyes. He clutched to her for dear life. "It's...alright," he whispered into her skin. He felt her shake her head and clutch at him tighter. His hold on her tightened. "Don't cry..." he whispered. "It's alright...just...don't..." he whispered.

Shiruki knew how badly this fact had hurt Gaara. He was so happy about being a father. And now that the one thing that could make him happy was gone, what did he have? What did he have left? Shiruki clutched onto him tightly. "D-don't leave me...I'm sorry...we'll try again! I promise!" she cried desperately.

Gaara straightened. Where was all this coming from? He looked at Shiruki. His tears were all gone. "Wh-" he stopped and realized. She thought that since she lost the baby, he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. He grinned and looked at Shiruki, wiping away her tears with his thumb. He kissed her softly and Shiruki started crying again. He pulled away to look at her and Shiruki saw the corner of his lip curve upward in a crooked smile. "Don't be stupid, Shiruki..." he whispered. "You really think me that ignorant?" he asked her seriously. Shiruki's eyes widened. "I'd never leave you because of that," he confessed, kissing away her tears. He pulled away and saw Shiruki looking at him adoringly. He smirked and got up off the bed. "Seems we have admirers." Shiruki looked at the window of the door and saw the others looking in on them. She got up and growled, glaring at the door. She heard gasps on the other side and saw the faces disappear. She looked at Gaara and smiled. "Now I remember why I love you," he said quietly.

Shiruki smiled and winked at him before kissing him softly. She grabbed his hand and laced their fingers gently, breaking the kiss. She smiled at him again and walked with him to the door. She grinned back at him and winked. "Watch this..." she whispered. She flung the door open and glared at the people in front of her. Ino, Naruto, Sasuke, Lee and the other spies fell back on the floor awkwardly. "Now I know you guys weren't spying..." she growled suggestively. The others just shook their heads while the ones in the back laughed quietly. She smiled at them and offered her hand to help up Naruto. He took it and she helped him up with a smile. She turned to everyone and smiled sincerely. She bowed respectfully. "Thank you so much for worrying about me. And I am sorry for the way I have treated you in the past...please forgive me?" she asked, looking up at them with a slight blush on her face.

Neji blushed, Choji blushed, Lee blushed, Sasuke had a slight tint of pink, Kakashi was blushing through his mask, Shikamaru blushed furiously, Kiba blushed furiously, and Naruto smiled. She was so beautiful. It took Gaara until just now to realize she was wanted by all the Konoha shinobi. That simple smile lit up all the men's faces present. She was truly amazing. It was Kakashi that stepped forward. He smiled beneath his mask and helped Shiruki up from her bow. "It's no problem, Shiruki. We're all comrades. Aren't we?" he asked with a small chuckle. "Now you and Gaara go get some rest. We'll speak more of this tomorrow. Alright?" he smiled.

Shiruki smiled and blushed. She nodded and hugged Kakashi. "Thanks, Kakashi-sensei!" she smiled. Kakashi smiled and patted her back softly. She let go of Kakashi and saw the other guys blushing. She tilted her head to the side. "What's wrong with everyone? Why are you all blushing?" she asked as she walked up to Neji. "Even you're blushing...are you alright?" she asked, inches away from his face. Neji just stared and smiled. He nodded and hugged her. She smiled and hugged him back. After a few moments, she let go, as did Neji. She smiled as she made her way to Shikamaru. She smiled as she bowed. Shikamaru blushed and stood up to her level. She smiled. "Sorry if I was so bothersome for the past few years, Shika..." she whispered with a small blush.

Shikamaru smiled and shook his head. He hugged her tightly and rubbed her back affectionately. "You weren't bothersome," he whispered so only she could hear. "You never were and you never will be," he whispered again. Shiruki blushed as she hugged him back. He let go of her and smiled at her. He waved goodbye and started off down the hall. "I just stayed to see if you were alright," he said as he waved back wards, disappearing from sight.

After everyone had their hugs and words of them glad that Shiruki was alright, they all dispersed and Shiruki and Gaara remained. Gaara was silent throughout the whole thing. He just stood against the wall, watching. Making sure none of the guys hit on her. As soon as Shiruki was done, she walked over to him. She saw him propped against the wall with this legs crossed and his arms dangling at his sides. She smiled and walked up to him, his legs in between hers as she leaned into him and hugged him gently. Her arms found their way around his neck and she smiled. "I love you, Gaara," she whispered.

Gaara grinned and held her in return. He kissed her temple and pushed forward, standing up all the way. His arms remained around her waist and hers around his neck. "Shall we stay? Or should we go?" he asked quietly, kissing her neck.

Shiruki shuddered. "M-maybe we can stay?" she whispered hopefully. Gaara nodded. "Seems we have to find a place to stay..." she sighed. Gaara grinned and nodded again. "Of course...there's always my old place?" she suggested with a wink. Gaara grinned. She was hinting at something. He could tell. He nodded again and Shiruki smiled. He was willing to try again. It meant alot to her. He still wanted her. She smiled and nodded as she took his hand in hers. She started to walk out until she felt something bump into her and hug her leg tightly. She stumbled a little and looked down. She smiled at the brown hair and scarf with the ninja headband. "Hello, Konohamaru-kun" she giggled. She smiled as she hugged him back, prying him off of her leg.

Konohamaru smiled up at her and hugged her around the neck. She giggled and hugged him back. "Shiru-chan! I missed you so much! I rushed over as soon as I heard you were here!" he said happily, nuzzling her cheek with his.

Shiruki smiled and embraced him sweetly. Gaara watched and couldn't help but see how she looked like a mother figure. She smiled at the brown haired boy and he smiled back. "I see you were worried, Konohamaru-kun?" she smiled.

He nodded happily. No one ever really understood the relationship between Konohamaru and Shiruki. It seemed that in the whole time she was here, he was the only one she showed compassion to. That is why all of Konoha did not completely shun her. There were few that actually respected her, Konohamaru included. "You bet!" he laughed. He looked up at Gaara and backed away.

Shiruki followed his gaze up to Gaara and smiled. "No need to be worried. He's...well...he's the guy I told you about so long ago," she winked. "You remember the one," she giggled with a blush.

Konohamaru's eyes widened. "Na uh! Tenuki-san is the one and only mystery guy?!" he exclaimed. Shiruki giggled and nodded. Konohamaru looked at Gaara with bewilderment. "Wow...she really loves you, Tenuki-sama," he breathed.

Gaara raised a nonexistent brow and quirked a grin. He nodded and looked at Shiruki for confirmation. Seeing the blush was enough for him. Shiruki smiled at Konohamaru again and hugged him again. "Hey, Konohamaru...me and Tenuki-sama are going to go somewhere for the night. You remember which house is mine?" she smiled. Konohamaru nodded and Shiruki giggled. "Alright, then. I will see you tomorrow then, alright?" she asked.

Konohamaru smiled. "Sure thing!" he said, hugging her. "Are you really going to be here tomorrow, Shiru-chan?" he asked quietly. Shriuki giggled and nodded, ruffling his hair. "Ok," he smiled. "See you around then, Shiru-chan, Tenuki-sama!" he said, running off to find Naruto.

Shiruki smiled and stood up, watching him retreat into the darkness of the dimmed hallways. She smiled a motherly smile and turned to Gaara to see him looking at her. She never lost her smile as she lowered her head. A slight blush came on her cheeks. "He...was the only one that didn't run in fear...even Naruto and Sasuke were scared of me at first. It took Konohamaru to show them...for that...I am thankful," she explained. It was true. Throughout the years, Konohamaru was the only one that cheered for her. He cheered for her when she faced Naruto, he cheered when she faced Sasuke, he even cheered for her when she faced Kakashi-sensei. She smiled at that thought. She was loved by him.

Gaara put a hand on her shoulder and slid it to under her chin. He lifted her chin easily to look at him and noticed a smile on her face. She saw a grin across his lips and blinked. He pulled her closer by her chin and she went willingly. Their lips met again and his arms encircled her waist. She brought her hands up to his chest where she caressed it through his shirt in an up and down motion. She loved the feel of his muscles beneath her hands. She whimpered into his mouth softly and pressed her body against his gently. Gaara broke the kiss seeing as how they were in the middle of the hallway. He grinned and Shiruki looked disappointed. She smiled and nipped his neck softly. He kissed her shoulder and pulled her away. She looked up at him curiously and Gaara shook his head. "Not here..." he whispered.

Shiruki nodded and took his hand in hers with the gentlest of touch. She led him out of the Hokage's tower and walked down the steps to the actual village. She walked through the village and she got the same reaction as she did in Suna. People stopped to wave. As people were passing, they bowed their heads in acknowledgment. Kids curtsied and waved. It was as if they didn't care she was a monster. They saw her as human being for the first time. She smiled and acknowledged everyone that acknowledged her. She looked up at Gaara, who looked slightly impatient and she giggled. He looked at her and realized how he looked. He averted his glance and continued onward. They stopped at a house and Shiruki pushed open the door. She walked in with Gaara and shut and locked it. She smiled up at him and walked through the house. She observed that not a thing had changed. She smiled at the lack of dust on the floor. "Naruto..." she whispered as she giggled slightly. Even though he hated to clean, he cleaned her house for her. She must remember to thank him.

TBC

A/N: alright...next chapter is the little...romance scene with Shiruki and Gaara. Don't like lemons, skip it XD Anyways...it'll be up right after this one. Considering i am posting them together XD R&R


	25. Alone with You Oh the Fun we will Have

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine

**Chapter 24: Alone With You...Oh, the Fun We Will Have**

After she was done reminiscing, she looked back at Gaara giving him a shy wink. She walked to her bedroom and Gaara followed. She smiled at how her room was still clean and orderly. Naruto even cleaned her room. She smiled as she turned to Gaara. She kicked off her shoes and let her hair down. She sat on the bed and crossed her legs lady like. She leaned back on her hands and smiled at Gaara, involuntarily pushing out her chest. Gaara grinned and took off his gourd, setting it on the floor by the door, taking the time to kick off his shoes. He shut the door and walked over to Shiruki on the bed. She uncrossed her legs as he made his way to her and leaned forward to meet his lips. He straddled her and gently lowered himself onto her. He bit her bottom lip and she moaned quietly. He inched higher on top of her and she moved backward, more onto the bed. Once Gaara felt they were in the middle of the bed, he completely lowered himself on top of her, forcing Shiruki on her back. She giggled quietly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Gaara bit her lip again and she opened for him. Their tongues met, adding to the fire between them. Warmth pooled in Shiruki's belly as she and Gaara shared a passionate kiss. He ran his hands up her sides and outlined the roundness of her breasts through her shirt. Shiruki moaned in his mouth. He broke the kiss to move to her neck. He nipped at it, just as she did to him in the hallway. "Gaara," she moaned. He loved the way she moaned his name. Only him. She only did this for him. She only ignited emotions deep within him like no one else could ever dream of doing. She affected his body greatly. Her body was his and his was hers. He loved having only her to himself. He loved feeling their bare flesh pressed against the other's. It was pure bliss.

He released her neck for now. He pulled away to look at her face and his eyes fell upon her swollen lips. So lush and welcoming. So pink and bruised. He grinned as he kissed them again. She was all his. No one else's. She was his source of happiness. Security. Love. She was his everything. And he would prove that to her tonight. They were completely alone. Not a soul around. He would definitely show her how much she meant to him. He would pour every fiber of his being into making her feel good.

He bit her lip softly and Shiruki moaned softly for him. She opened for him and darted her tongue past his lips to find his. Their tongues swirled together as one. Gaara moved his hands over her clothed breasts and felt her hardened peaks. He started to slowly remove her shirt and she sighed in impatience. She started to assist him, but he pinned her wrists to the bed, breaking the kiss to look at her. He shook his head silently and Shiruki blinked a few times. She nodded in understanding. He wanted to take his time. Last time was sort of rushed. He wanted her to experience all the emotions he felt every time he looked at her. "Don't..." he whispered against her neck. He kissed her delicately and Shiruki relaxed at his ministrations. He finished undoing her outfit and slid his hand over her stomach. He trailed it upward to her breasts where he found the knot of her bandages. He slowly untied it, pulling a string of the bow, and it fell limply around her. He hooked a finger in the bandages and tugged, causing them to fall below her breasts. He kept kissing her neck, not once letting up to eye her like some kind of meat. He slid his hands in the valley of her breasts and up to her neck. He caressed it lightly and Shiruki sighed with pleasure. He broke from her neck and kissed her shoulder. He kissed from the junction of where it met her neck, to the end of her it where it connected with her arm, then back to her neck. He moved to the other side of her neck and kissed her there, earning a sigh and a shudder from Shiruki. She moaned his name and brought her hands up to run them through his hair. He nipped at her neck softly as he trailed his hand back down her chest. He stopped in the valley of her breasts this time and slowly inches over to her left breast. He cupped it softly and traced Circe's around her nipple. She moaned softly and arched her back a little. He kissed his way down her neck softly, lingering at her collarbone. He payed special attention to her collarbone, nipping and sucking gently. She shuddered and tugged at his shirt softly, asking him to take it off silently. He grinned and sat up, removing his shirt with slow, torturous care. He slid it off, watching the emotions raging on Shiruki's face. He grinned as he tossed it to the side. He stayed on his knees and held out a hand to Shiruki. She took it and he sat her up. He looked down at her and she smiled with a blush. He nodded and she smiled even more. She brought her hands up to caress his chest and pressed her cheek against him lovingly. She ran her hands over his muscles and felt them contract under her touch. She placed a delicate kiss on his chest and Gaara shuddered. He ran his hands through her hair and kissed the top of her head. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist softly. He grinned and put his hands on her shoulders, pushing her back a little.

She looked up at him and he laid her on her back. He laid on her again and continued his pleasurably slow torture. He kissed her softly and ran his hands over her breasts again. He kneaded them softly and Shiruki inhaled sharply. She moaned and shuddered beneath his delicate touch. He finished removing her clothes and ran his hand down from a breast to her pants. He looped a finger in the band and tugged it down just a little as he started to kiss his way down her navel. She shuddered and whimpered. He looked up at her as he kissed his way down. How beautiful she was. Her milky skin was flawless. Her supple breasts were so perfect. She was his angel. As he made his way to her underwear, he grinned. He looped his fingers on the sides and pulled them down with tedious, slow, torturous care. She shuddered as the cold air hit her warmth and moaned quietly. Her smell was intoxicating. He smelled her musky scent and continued south. He finally slipped her underwear and pants completely off and Shiruki blushed. He thought she was being modest and innocent. He grinned and nipped at her soft inner thigh. She moaned quietly and bit her bottom lip. How arousing that sight was. So erotic. Gaara felt a tightness in his pants and inwardly cursed it. He inhaled her scent before propping her legs up on his shoulders. She blushed and squeaked in surprise. She looked down at him and instantly lolled her head back when she felt his muscular tongue dart on her sensitive bundle of nerves. She moaned and Gaara felt her legs start to shake. He flicked his tongue against the nerves again and Shiruki moaned louder this time. He didn't know what he was doing, but he liked it. He started to nibble and suck on it and Shiruki's hand embedded itself in Gaara's hair. He looked up at her and grinned. He stuck a finger inside of her warmth and she writhed in pleasure. "G-Gaara..." she breathed. He inserted another as he licked her core, grazing his teeth over the sensitive flesh every now and then. Her grip on his hair flexed then relaxed dozens of times. She felt her release coming soon. "Gaara! I'm g-gonna-" she moaned. Before she could finish that statement, she released in his mouth. He licked it all up and grinned up at Shiruki. He traced the mark on her hip with his fingertips and smiled up at her mischievously. "Gaara," she panted. He kissed his way back up to her and Shiruki smiled. She cupped his cheeks with shaky hands and Gaara grinned. Her breathing was staggered as she stared into his icy blue eyes. "I love you, Gaara," she breathed as she kissed him softly.

Gaara kissed back and tugged at his own pants. He got them off and Shiruki moaned as he nudged her lower half. She shuddered as ripples of pleasure shot through her body. She felt his stiffness on her stomach and she kept kissing him. They kissed for a while, showing each other their love and admiration for each other. Gaara kissed her neck again and saw he left a mark from earlier. He grinned and nipped at it again, adding to its visibility. She sighed in content and wrapped her arms under his and around his shoulders. He positioned himself at her entrance and eased into her, earning a loud moan in pleasure and an arch. He stopped for a moment and Shiruki rested her legs on his hips, allowing for deeper access. He felt her grip around him tighten and he proceeded. He rocked slowly in and out of her, savoring the feeling. How he loved her so much. She stimulated every fiber of his being. Even the way his name rolled off her tongue. It sounded so erotic and sensual. "Shiruki," he whispered. She moaned in response. "I love you...so much..." he whispered between kisses. Shiruki moaned as he pumped slowly inside her. Though agonizingly slow, he still hit her pleasure spot, making her moan and mew with satisfaction. He felt her nails dig in her back and heard her moan out words of command such as "faster," "deeper," "harder." He grinned. He could very well give into those commands like he wished to so badly, but he didn't want a simple fuck. He wanted her to feel the depth of his love for her. By doing that, he would resist his masculine urges for as long as he could. He felt her constrict around him and he grunted lowly. His pace increased slowly and Shiruki moaned, cumming hard and fast. She clutched him close as he continued to pump in her. He felt his climax coming as well and he kissed her, earning a sigh in pleasure. He released in her with a grunt that could be confused as a moan and pumped slowly to get the rest of his seed out, making sure he had even the slightest chances of impregnating her again. He collapsed beside her, pulling out of her warmth, his member now limp. He pulled her into his arms lovingly and Shiruki cuddled against him as he pulled the covers over them. They lay there in each other's arms, loving each other's company. Gaara suddenly spoke with such sincerity, it startled Shiruki. "I...I really love you, Shiruki. You mean so much to me. I want to be with you forever..." he whispered as he played with her side hairs that had fallen in her face.

She smiled softly at him and nodded. "I want to be with you too, Gaara," she whispered back. "I love you so much," she whispered as she kissed him delicately.

Gaara kissed her back softly and held her close. "Tonight...I wanted to show you how much you mean to me...I didn't want it to be about me tonight. You understand?" he asked quietly. She nodded and smiled. "I wanted you to feel what I feel every time I think of you. All the need...all the want...all the love..." he whispered. "It hurts sometimes...it hurts how much these feelings affect me..." He was silent for a moment. "When you died...in my arms back there...I wanted to die also...you don't realize how badly that hurt," he started. Shiruki listened intently. He was opening up to her. She was so happy. This night couldn't get any better. "I wanted so badly to believe that you would wake up. That it was only a dream. It couldn't be true that you were..." he sighed. He shook his head and Shiruki noticed his grip around her tighten. "I don't ever want to lose you again...it killed me knowing that I wouldn't see you smile again...wouldn't hear your laugh," he said in his deep dark voice.

Shiruki smiled as tears threatened to spill over. She kissed him suddenly and rolled on top of him. He felt tears fall on his cheeks and he wrapped his arms around her tightly. She pulled away to look down at him. "Oh, Gaara...I love you so much," she cried. "I don't ever want to leave you again!" she said as she hugged him tight and rested her head on his collarbone. Gaara wrapped his arms around her tighter and held her there.

Gaara got an idea. His eyes opened slowly. "Then...don't." Shiruki looked at him curiously. She saw the distance in his eyes and blushed. She'd never seen such a look before. He smiled at her and Shiruki shook her head. "Never," she whispered as she kissed him again, falling asleep on top of him peacefully.

TBC

A/N: There is your next chapter full of lemony goodness XD Anyways...next chapter is going to get serious. Hints start flying on who the apprentice is! Stay tuned! R&R Thanks for reading!!! Means alot!


	26. Orochimaru's Apprentice

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine...stabs whoever invented a disclaimer Like anyone would be stupid and say "Naruto is mine! I made him! My story line! Me, me me!" Feh! Anyone that does that should be shot and tortured very slowly- I mean uh...ON WITH THE STORY ;

**Chapter 25: Orochimaru's Apprentice**

It was morning time. Shiruki awoke to a faint pounding on her door. She laid next to an awake Gaara, who was apparently fixated on watching her sleep soundly on his chest. She sat up, still naked from past night's events, and rubbed her eyes, letting her humility crumble along with her modesty. She looked down at Gaara and smiled adoringly. "Good morning," she smiled. He nodded and glared off, hearing the door banging loudly again. It was her bedroom door. Her eyes widened. "Who has my keys?" she whispered to him before getting up, wrapping a separate sheet around him. Never mind the clothes, she mind as well to just give whoever it was a show.

She opened the door slowly and peeked out. She was suddenly on the ground with Naruto and Konohamaru on top of her, the sheet barely hiding anything. Gaara growled and Naruto jumped up, scratching his neck. "Uh...sorry...Konohamaru woke me up early to come and get you," he blushed. He saw Shiruki's upper body naked. Sasuke would be jealous. He grinned mischievously and suddenly stopped when his glance met Gaara's infuriated glare. He blushed and avoided eye contact of any kind with anyone.

Shiruki giggled slightly, partly from nervousness. She desperately tried to cover herself before smiling at the young Konohamaru who had her pinned with a hug. She giggled and hugged him back, not minding that the only barrier between them was a thin white sheet. She looked down at him and smiled maternally. Konohamaru smiled back. "Shiru-chan! You promised we'd hang out today!" he smiled, resembling a young Naruto. She smiled and glanced at Naruto. He really did take after his idol. It was so adorable.

She nodded and smiled. Konohamaru cheered and got up, ushering Naruto out of the room so she could get dressed and say bye to Gaara. She giggled again with a slight blush and closed the door. "I'll be out in a bit." Hearing an ok from the other side and footsteps promising they were downstairs, Shiruki sighed in disappointment. She turned back to Gaara and stared apologetically. She walked over to him and dropped the sheet, crawling on top of him again. She laid on the sheet that separate them and felt his muscles clenching through the thin material. She smiled as his arms wrapped around her and hands explored her flawless skin. She shuddered slightly and sat up on her elbows to look at him. She smiled at him, earning a crooked grin in return and she giggled. Gaara removed the Demon Sealing jutsu and Shiruki nipped at his fingers. "Ya know..." she said in a seductive voice Gaara had become all too fond of. "They're downstairs...we're up here..._alone_...oh, the possibilities," she hinted, nipping at his neck.

How he'd love to take her up on that offer so badly right now. He couldn't help but snicker at her eagerness. He sat up, her straddling his hips still, and wrapped his arms around her to hold her up. He grinned and shook his head. He kissed her cheek and then her neck and nuzzled her softly. "You know as well as I...they will get impatient and they will come back up here," he said with slight disappointment. He looked at her and saw her about to say something. "And no...I will not just simply kill them," he said bluntly, taking the words out of her mouth. She giggled innocently and smiled at him. He kissed her forehead softly and smirked at her. "Get dressed."

She nodded reluctantly and got off him. She walked over to her dresser and started to rummage shamelessly through her drawers, Gaara watching ever so slyly. He grinned before getting up to find his own clothes. He dressed and noticed that she too was dressing. He caught a glimpse of her wardrobe and shook his head. Much, much to his liking. The outfit she donned wasn't too far off his. It was dark red, with slanted white belts around her hips. She wore black pants underneath that stopped way above her knees. She wore shoes matching his, black. She took a choker out of her jewelry box on top and put it on. This one had a cat bell on it. The choker itself was black and velvety. The bell was silver. It jingled as she put it on. The outfit clung to her body perfectly, looping around her middle fingers like all of her clothes did, and you could see the shuriken and kunai pockets protruding on her thighs. She smiled as she flashed a signature crossed arm stance, resembling Gaara's. Gaara couldn't help but grin at her antics. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist protectively, laying a kiss on her forehead. She giggled and kissed him back before grabbing his arm and escorting him out of her, or rather their, room.

They walked downstairs, hand in hand, and were instantly met by Konohamaru. The blond was trying desperately to restrain his young admirer before Gaara snapped, but to no avail. Gaara simply grinned and started to walk on ahead of his love and the boys. Naruto stared in disbelief. Gaara wasn't snapping? Naruto looked back at Shiruki and Konohamaru and smiled. He nodded and followed Gaara out. When Naruto made it outside, he saw Gaara standing against the wall, waiting for them all to emerge. Naruto walked over to him silently and seriously. "Gaara," he said, stopping beside him to tell him something. Gaara looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "The Hokage has called a meeting..." he told him seriously, which was unlike the blond.

Gaara looked at him fully now. "Concerning what?" he asked lowly. Naruto held a look of seriousness and what looked like uncertainty. Gaara turned away, waiting for the blond. He would not ask again. It was rather annoying.

Naruto sighed. "Tsunade wants to call a meeting to discuss the apprentice. She wants you and Shiruki to attend," he informed him finally. Gaara looked at him, rather glared at him. Naruto nodded, confirming it. "She needs at least one of you there. But it seems...Shiruki is preoccupied. So...that leaves you." He looked at him. Gaara looked uneasy. He also looked like he'd snap and bite Naruto's head off any minute. Naruto sighed. "It's either you or Shiruki. Or both. Pick one. Although...Konohamaru is not allowed at the meeting. So...good luck prying her away from him.," Naruto informed him with a smirk, knowing full well how Konohamaru was with his idols.

Gaara slumped uncharacteristically, knowing all too well he could not resort to violence to tear the brunette brat from her for the meeting. Besides...she has not been in Konoha for so long, so he figured it would be fine to let her do as she wished. In return, however, he had to attend the blasted meeting. Gaara growled lowly then shook his head, running his hand through his hair. Another uncharacteristic thing he did in Naruto's presence. He saw Konohamaru and Shiruki emerge hand in hand. Shiruki had a smile on her face. A motherly one. He stopped. All train of thought left him. All common sense left him as well. That one smile made him realize that he had made the right choice. He slapped on his normal glare and walked up to Shiruki and Konohamaru, Naruto hanging back as a spectator. Shiruki looked at him with the same smile, except this one had morphed into nothing but love and admiration. He almost flinched at how sweet it was. He truly loved her smiles. They lit the darkest parts of his soul, exposing any hidden "demons" he had to deal with. That one light showed him that whatever the case, Shiruki would be there for him. Suddenly, going to the meeting with that blasted Tsunade wasn't that bad. He grinned and Shiruki blushed slightly. "What is it, Gaara?" she asked cutely.

Gaara shook his head and hugged her lightly. Konohamaru let go of her hand and stepped back, giving them room. He was still a kid, but he knew when the time was to hold hands and stay out of the lovers' way. Gaara whispered into her ear without meaning to. "I must attend a meeting. I will return shortly," he told her delicately.

"Well, wait, I'll go with you," she smiled, pulling away from him. Gaara just pulled her back and snickered quietly so only she could hear.

"It is not necessary. You stay. Relax. The only times we have come to Leaf Village was if we needed something or if we were injured," he told her. "This is your home. Stay and relax for a while." Shiruki sighed in resignation with a silent nod. "Besides," he whispered even quieter. "It will be difficult to get rid of Konohamaru, will it not?" he challenged.

Shiruki grunted and giggled seconds later. "Alright...just...be careful," she said quietly and hugged him back. Gaara nodded and released her. She smiled at him and Naruto. She looked at the blond with playful harshness and Naruto tilted his head. "You let anything happen to my Kazekage, and you'll be food for Nikkaku. That understood, Uzumaki?" she teased.

Naruto caught on. They had always play threatened like this. Except, she wasn't joking. He grinned and waved her off playfully. "Yeah, yeah...as if I'm gonna hold his hand," he said back, that comment directed toward Gaara. He grinned afterward and looked at Shiruki. "Anything happen to Konohamaru and you'll be Kyuubi's dinner. Is that understood, Shiruki?" he challenged back.

Shiruki winked and they both broke into laughter. With a chaste kiss to Gaara, she waved them off as her and Konohamaru played tag away from them. Gaara watched them run off and smiled inwardly. He nodded and walked alongside Naruto toward the Hokage's office. This should be fun.

Twenty minutes later...

They reached the Hokage's office and saw Shikamaru, Tsunade, Kakashi, Asuma, Iruka, Neji, Sasuke, and Hiruka present and accounted for. Gaara's vision wandered over the bunch, earning nods in respect to the new Kazekage. He nodded back reluctantly and his sights landed on Tsunade. He waited for her to proceed before he spoke. Naruto stopped alongside him and Sasuke. To Sasuke's right was Neji. To Neji's right was Shikamaru. To Shikamaru's right was Kakashi, Asuma, Iruka, and finally, Hiruka. Tsunade sat at her desk, as usual. Gaara stared at her. "All of you, I take it, got word from Naruto to come here?" she inquired. They all nodded and Naruto stood silent. Tsunade nodded and stood, walking around her desk sitting on it in front of them all. She sighed. "Alright. Time to get to business." She looked at Gaara. "Tell us all what happened with the run in with the Sound Village. Every detail," she ordered. Gaara sighed and crossed his arms. This was going to take longer than expected.

Meanwhile...

"Get back here, ya little runt!" Shiruki called after Konohamaru who was way ahead of her and running faster ahead. She could easily catch up to him, but it was only a game and that would be cheating if she used Nikkaku's agility and speed. So, she relied on her own ninja swiftness.

Konohamaru giggled and kept running, throwing taunting looks back at her. "No chance, grandma!" he laughed. He ran faster and faster through the streets, earning glares and giggles from bystanders.

Shiruki laughed as well, chasing Konohamaru like a mother would a child. She also earned looks. Looks of happiness and relief. Ones she had never earned from Konoha. She smiled in return and kept focus on Konohamaru. She noticed he was leading them toward the training grounds Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi had went to years ago. She laughed and saw him standing on top of a log. She skidded to a halt and grinned. "What's wrong, runt? Run out of energy?" she challenged.

"Feh! As if, grandma!" he threw back, his usual smirk in place. "I just wanted to give you a rest! Ya looked pretty beat," he teased. He grinned again. "Hm...hey. I have an idea. Let's play a game-"

"Thought that's what we were _already_ doing!" she laughed. She bent over her knees, feeling sick all of a sudden. It couldn't have taken affect that soon. It just happened last night. There was no way her pregnancy was verified this early. So, then, what was it? Why was she sick all of a sudden? She held her stomach and collapsed to her knees gracefully, careful as to not worry Konohamaru. She made it look like she did it on purpose, while in fact, it was accidental and unpreventable. She smiled at Konohamaru nonetheless.

"Alright. Smarty! I meant...let's play a high stakes game," he grinned. Shiruki's head snapped up to look at him. Her head tilted in confusion. Konohamaru grinned. "Catch me, and we'll do whatever you say. However...if I can get to the lake before you catch me, then you do whatever I want. Is it a deal?" he challenged. Shiruki smirked. Nikkaku would allow her to win easily- "And no using that neko demon either!" he added, seeing what she was thinking.

Shiruki giggled a little. She stopped when she felt more nausea. She smiled at him and nodded. "Alright," she smiled. "No Nikkaku...and if I catch you...we'll do whatever I want. And if not...you win," she smiled. She struggled to get to her feet and got ready to dash toward him. "Ready, twerp?" she grinned.

Konohamaru grinned. He nodded and turned his back to her. "Ready...set...GO!" he yelled as he dashed off toward the lake a little less than twenty yards ahead of them. Shiruki grinned and rushed off after him, following closely. Even without Nikkaku, she was still the fastest ninja in Konoha. The only person that outdid her speed was Sasuke. And even then, it was a challenge for him. She smirked and caught up to the little brunette in a second. She grinned at him as he looked back with wide eyes. "How'd you-"

Shiruki smirked and reached out to him. He bowed his head and increased his speed again. She smirked and laughed as she too increased her speed. She saw the lake and smiled. Should she let him win or not...how debatable...She grinned and realized that it was not the lake he was heading toward, but instead, a cliff. A waterfall. Her eyes widened and she kicked it into high gear, catching him, knowing he couldn't stop. She took him in her arms and skidded to a halt, her foot grazing the edge of the cliff. She looked over the cliff and sighed with relief. She looked back at the boy in her arms and saw him frightful as well. She hugged him tightly and sighed before walking off toward the lake. "Please be more careful, Konohamaru-kun," she whispered, carrying him softly in her arms.

Konohamaru sighed and nodded. "Sorry, Shiru-chan..." he whispered back. A thought came to him. "Hey! You cheated!" he whined. Shiruki laughed and shook her head. Konohamaru raised an eyebrow. "If you didn't cheat...then that means..."

Shiruki smiled at him. "That's right. You're looking at the second fastest ninja in all of Konoha. And no. Nikkaku was not released to assist me. Though it mind as well could have been..." she said more to herself with another sigh. She wasn't sure her body could handle Nikkaku surfacing at the moment. She was physically exhausted. They made it to the lake and Shiruki sat down next to Konohamaru. She pulled her knees to her chest and stared out over the water.

Konohamaru smiled and leaned into Shiruki, feeling an arm wrap around him in return. He smiled. "So, Shiru-chan...why Tenuki-sama?" he asked, sneaking a mischievous look up at her. He saw her blush and he laughed.

Meanwhile...

Gaara stood silently for a moment before sighing quietly, noticing eyes were on him. How he hated to talk to Leaf Village shinobi about his personal problems. But this time...they could be of some major assistance in finding out who exactly was Orochimaru's apprentice. He opened his eyes and sighed again. "Orochimaru's apprentice...is after Nikkaku...Shiruki's inner demon. They are taking after the Akatsuki in such a way that almost killed her." He face turned malicious. "Three Sound ninja ambushed us when we were first coming here to learn the Demon Sealing jutsu from Tsunade. That was when it started. Kasuke...Takuya...and another. One that remembered Shiruki well. One that had many scars on his face and body from her...mishaps." He looked around, seeing eager, studying and contemplative faces. Even Naruto looked deep in thought. "Makuro...he took on Shiruki...well...tried to. I got in the way," an evil grin passing his features. "Shiruki took on Kasuke and Takuya by herself, knowing full well she was no match. Her eye movements are not trained to watch two Sound ninja as are mine and some of you. She had no choice in the matter, however." He shook his head with a small pang of guilt. "I killed Makuro...Shiruki...was injured by the other two. After I intervened, they escaped." He lowered his head and leaned against the wall as if contemplating something. How would any of this help? "Later...we ran into Kasuke and Takuya...them claiming they planned to extract Kyuubi from Naruto." Everyone looked at Naruto and saw him nod in confirmation. They all turned back to Gaara, urging him to continue. He did. "Shiruki told them to make a deal...her life...for his..." he said quietly, and with obvious struggle. It wasn't every day that the love of your life wanted to die for the life of another. "So...they agreed...but...Nikkaku proved too strong for them. Nikkaku killed them but did not return to Shiruki until our third run in with another Sound ninja. While we were on our way to Suna...another attacked." Sasuke listened intently, as did Naruto. This was when they were all alone. "She offered no information. Except that Orochimaru has an apprentice, and is apparently stronger than Orochimaru, having control over all the Sound ninja." He raised his head. "They plan on taking Shukkaku and Nikkaku from us. As well as Kyuubi. In order to gain more power and be the dominating village."

Shikamaru stepped forward after Gaara slipped into silence again. "So...the apprentice is power hungry, feared, powerful already, and a psychopath. Sounds easy to pick out of a crowd," he said sarcastically.

Everyone glared at him.

Meanwhile with Shiruki and Konohamaru

Shiruki blushed and giggled, pulling Konohamaru closer. "Well...to be honest...we kind of...just fell together in a way. We were friends all through childhood...until I came here. He's really protective. Most people don't see that," she said, her smile fading and her brows knitting together with sorrow. "He actually is a very nice person. People just are too afraid to get close to him, what with his past and all..." she sighed. "Really sad, really."

Konohamaru lowered his head. "I-if it helps...I'm not afraid of him..." he whispered quietly with a small blush. Shiruki looked at him with apparent shock. He saw it and smiled a little. "Well yeah...he's nice to you. So...he can't be all _that_ bad," he smiled. Shiruki's eyes watered. Konohamaru truly did understand. She was grateful.

At Tsunade's office

"Well...what can we do? Wait til he strikes again?" Naruto reasoned. They organized this meeting and yet no one had any idea as to what the creep looked like.

Sasuke sighed. "Quiet, Dobe. We have plenty of information. It's all a matter of putting it together." Everyone turned to Sasuke incredulously. He smirked. "Clearly you all have missed the point...power hungry...making it a_ 'he,' _having access to Sound Village and all of Orochimaru's techniques...knowing and going after Shiruki, Gaara, and Naruto...they have to be someone that knows them. If not, then how else would they know of all three of them?" he reasoned. Everyone followed. "And not to mention, haven't you noticed that he strikes at the most opportune of times? Kidnapping Naruto...extracting Nikkaku...sending someone again to attack and retrieve Shiruki while everyone was injured? This guy knows us. Either that, or he has some pretty good spies to watch us at all times."

Everyone looked defensive and resentfully at Sasuke. "Are you suggesting this apprentice...is a traitor to the Leaf Village?!" shrieked Naruto, taking Sasuke by the shirt offensively.

Sasuke nodded and slapped Naruto's hands off of him. "It makes sense, Dobe. Think about it. No one else would know. It certainly isn't Kabuto. Remember? You killed him two years ago. Tsunade killed Orochimaru...so that leaves one of the Leaf Village ninja. Otherwise...Sound is extremely well at hiding their appearance for years," he reasoned.

As much as everyone hated to admit it...Sasuke was right. His way of thinking was logical. Shikamaru smirked. "Unless...Sound village sent someone...that they already knew wanted to betray Leaf Village, to try to throw us off their tracks," he challenged back at Sasuke in an accusatory manner.

Sasuke grinned in return. "There is also the possibility that Sound village sent someone to try to throw the others off the track of everyone else, accusing someone in particular, to push them off the trail of that suspected person." (if that did not make sense, let me rephrase it...shikamaru is suggesting that sasuke is trying to warp everyone's minds while sasuke is suggesting that shikamaru is the one that is warping the minds. don't get it? email me)

Tsunade caught onto each other accusing the other and sighed. She stepped in. "Quit it you two. This is no time to be accusing each other. I highly doubt that anyone in this room is the apprentice."

Kakashi stepped forward. "Ruling people out already, Tsunade? That is not like you...it could be a grave mistake," he said darkly. But he was right. "What evidence do you have that it is not one of us? What evidence suggests that one of us is not the apprentice?" he asked logically. Tsunade's eyes widened a little. "It might be anyone of us. Or...it might be anyone in the village. It is not certain. I am not suggesting to suspect your allies...but you also can't trust them fully anymore until we find out who this apprentice is," he reasoned again.

TBC

A/N: Well now...seems that people are getting accused...and seems some people are rather...incriminating. Suspicious suspicious...for shame...There ya go! Next chapter should be up soon! I've been in a rather...creative and plotting mood lately XD ;

Oh...and if you did not understand anything about that little Shikamaru/Sasuke scene...email me and I will be happy to explain it better

Another thing...even if Orochimaru and Kabuto are not dead...they are in here XP Don't like...go away XD


	27. Things Fall Apart

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine...How I wish I had a Gaara of my own though...

**Chapter 26: Things Fall Apart**

Shiruki smiled at Konohamaru. "Well then...I'm glad you're not scared of him," she teased. Konohamaru gave her a signature grin and Shiruki smiled back at him with a hug. They shared a few laughs and then Shiruki got quiet.

Konohamaru looked up at her and felt a pang in his chest at the sadness in her eyes. Her face held nothing but depression and eternal sadness. Like nothing could bring her out of this inconsolable mood. It hurt him to look at her like this. She meant a lot to him. She meant as much, if not more, as Naruto. She was, after all, his idol. He was her friend. Someone, the only one, that was there for her while the other villagers shunned her. Even though she had a life and friends now, she still did not abandon him. How could she? He was her first friend in Leaf Village. Even Naruto hesitated to meet her and become close. He was sort of intimidated, if that was the word. Konohamaru poked Shiruki's ribs, earning a squeak and squirm from her. She looked down at him and Konohamaru smiled with a sort of cocky grin, just like Naruto. The kid really was a mini-Naruto. She smiled. "You won the game, Shiruki...what do you want to do?" he asked, never losing his innocent, yet mischievous smile.

Shiruki acted to think for a long time as if contemplating something. She grinned and looked at him, getting up. She offered a hand to help him up also and he accepted. She smiled at him and sighed. "Well...seeing as how I can't think of anything else...how about you let me treat you to Ramen?" she smiled. Konohamaru's eyes widened. He nodded happily, just as she expected him to. She smiled and took his hand, running off toward his, and Naruto's, favorite Ramen stand in Konoha: Ichiraku.

Meanwhile...

Tsunade grew impatient with all these rumors of a traitorous shinobi among them. She tapped her finger on her crossed arm and sighed. "Kakashi..I do not wish to believe that we have a spy among the Leaf Village. It is despicable and down right insulting!" she snarled.

Everyone's eyes were downcast. Gaara stared at Tsunade. His gaze wandered over to Sasuke to see him rather passive, just like when Shiruki died. He paid no mind to it, seeing as how Sasuke never showed any emotion. He pushed himself off the wall and looked around. "Either way..." he started quietly, earning everyone's undivided attention. "Leaf Village needs to get it together. What Uchiha said was true. We cannot afford to trust, nor distrust anyone. It is best that we just keep our guards up and go on normally until the apprentice slips up," he said before leaving the office silently. Everyone in Tsunade's office agreed and exchanged accusatory glares at one another before following Gaara's example and leaving.

Tsunade and her assistant stood there speechless. Tsunade looked rather frustrated. She tapped her finger and sighed heavily. "Konoha is falling apart...I think that is what the apprentice wanted," she sighed desperately before going back to her paperwork.

With Gaara...

Gaara walked through the streets of Konoha looking at nothing in particular. He kept his glance downcast, so as to not draw attention to himself by looking at others and giving them the wrong idea. He was in deep thought. The young Kazekage continued onward, destination unknown. Somehow, he ended up by Shiruki's house. He looked at it before entering. He looked around a little, unaffected by how neat and undisturbed it was. He smirked a little before going over to the refrigerator and opening it a little. He peered inside and got out a water bottle. Nothing of great importance. He opened it and started to drink it, still lost in thought. _'The apprentice is indeed smart enough to not give away his direct location...'_ he thought with a sneer. He put the bottle down and watched it ripple at the disturbance. _'It is unclear who he is...but both accusations make sense. This is bothersome,' _he sighed. _'Uchiha assumes Shikamaru is the apprentice...Shikamaru insists Sasuke is...Kakashi...' _he sighed and dug his hands in his hair in frustration, resting his head on the counter top. A thought came to Gaara. His eyes widened a little as he looked at the water again. _'Shikamaru, though being ignorant, was right...This apprentice surely is powerful...sly...feared...and yearns for more power.'_ Gaara's facial expression read that he was deep in thought, and somewhat pissed. He replayed Sasuke's words in his head.

_"Clearly you all have missed the point...power hungry...making it a _'he,' _having access to Sound Village and all of Orochimaru's techniques...knowing and going after Shiruki, Gaara, and Naruto...they have to be someone that knows them. If not, then how else would they know of all three of them?" _

Gaara thought of the possibility of who it could possibly be of the Leaf Village. _'Hyuuga...' _Gaara shook his head._ 'Lee?' _Gaara stopped that thought. _'As if..baka can't even defeat me in a match,'_ he sighed rather arrogantly. Gaara stopped thinking of possibilities to remember what else the Uchiha had said.

_"And not to mention, haven't you noticed that he strikes at the most opportune of times? Kidnapping Naruto...extracting Nikkaku...sending someone again to attack and retrieve Shiruki while everyone was injured? This guy knows us. Either that, or he has some pretty good spies to watch us at all times." _

Gaara's eyes widened. He stood up. The Uchiha knew! He knew who it was! Then..."Why would he not bring it up at the meeting?" Gaara questioned. He sat back down and stared emotionlessly at the glass. His thoughts were interrupted by arms surrounding his shoulders and a breath on his neck. He stiffened a little and looked to see who it was.

"Hey..." Shiruki whispered. She laid a gentle kiss on his cheek and smiled. "Are you alright?" she asked, allowing him to turn around to face her. Gaara nodded reluctantly. He couldn't tell her what he was thinking, partly because he didn't believe it himself. And it was rather difficult to explain to people that which you do not know. Shiruki sat in his lap and Gaara wrapped his arms around her waist. "How long have you been home?" she asked quietly, knowing Gaara didn't like loud noises.

Gaara shrugged. He honestly didn't know how long he had just sat and thought. He looked at the clock and he blinked in disbelief. He was thinking for almost two hours. It was still light outside. He looked at Shiruki and saw her lean her head on his shoulder lovingly. He rested his head on hers and closed his eyes momentarily. Her shifting caused him to open his eyes. "Where did you and Konohamaru go?" he asked, trying to start a conversation to find out how her day was.

Shiruki smiled and sighed. She got up and stretched. "Well...we went to the lake...and then...it turned out to be a waterfall that we both almost fell over..." she giggled. She looked at Gaara and saw worry. She laughed again. "It's fine. I caught him before we both went over." She smiled for reassurance and saw Gaara nod. "Anyways...after that...we went to Ichiraku for Ramen," she smiled. She held Gaara's hands in hers and smiled down at him before he pulled her between his legs and resting his forehead on her chest. Shiruki smiled and kissed the top of his head. "Are you sure you're alright?" she whispered. Gaara just nodded.

Meanwhile...

A shadowed figure raced through all of sleeping Konoha, keeping to the roof tops, to avoid all sights of anyone still outside. Once the figure saw the gates of Konoha, he realized it would be tricky to sneak past the guards that were left for traffic control. He grinned. A challenge. This particular individual loved a challenge. He coated a needle with sleeping potion and threw them at the guards. This would give him about two hours, roughly, to complete his task, and retreat back into Konoha before they awoke, with them none the wiser. Seeing as the both of them simply passed out, head on the desk, appearing that they were sleeping, the figure dashed forward, earning no one's looks. No one was around to spot him. He always knew when the most opportune of times were. He raced through the gates and raced forward, still trying to be as quick and as alert as possible. He saw a lone figure ahead and grinned. He skidded to a halt. The figure just looked at him, eyes blazing red, taller than him, yet still the same build. "You are late," the cloaked figure stated simply. The cloaked figure stepped out from under the tree and the shadows and into the moonlight. The moon illuminated the figure, showing long brunette hair, milky white eyes, and an arrogant attitude. His voice was that of silk. He glared at the figure and the figure merely grinned at him.

"Who's the leader here?" the figure questioned sarcastically. The brunette smirked and nodded. "They are closer than we thought. We have to increase pace on the operations. I can no longer stall them. I fear that they will know, especially with the Kazekage's intelligence." The figure stared at the ground in thought. "I underestimated him..." he snarled to himself quietly.

The brunette grinned. "Understood. Shall I alert the others?" he asked in that same silk covered voice. The figure nodded. "What course of action shall we take then?" he pushed further.

The figure looked at him and sighed. He crossed his arms and glared at the moon. "We have already succeeded in the village going into a panic, just as planned." The figure paused to flip his hair from his face. He sighed again. "We need Shukkaku and Nikkaku at least...we can deal without Kyuubi. For now..." He paused again. "We must have Nikkaku at all costs. It is more powerful than Shukkaku." The brunette nodded. "Go tell them...that on the night where the moon turns crimson, come here. They will know what I mean." The brunette nodded and started to walk off. "Oh! And!" The brunette stopped. He peered over his shoulder and stared at the figure a bit. "Don't forget...to tell them...that Shiruki...and Gaara...will be subjected to severe pain. If they are not...they lose their lives," the figure said with obvious malice. The brunette grinned evilly and nodded before disappearing into the night. The figure stood there silently, plotting and conspiring. He brought his hand to his chin in thought and grinned. "Oh the fun we will have, little neko and tenuki..." he mused sadistically. He chuckled softly and sighed in anticipation. With nothing else to do, he started to head back to his village of Konoha. Indeed this man was a traitor. And yet...no one was even aware of what he was planning. How pathetic. He made it to Konoha's gates and noticed the guards were still out cold. He smirked and kept walking with ease right past them.

Meanwhile...

Shiruki and Gaara lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Gaara was starting to worry her. He could tell by how clingy she was being, not that he minded, but there was nothing really to worry about. It was thoughts he couldn't bare to tell her. After all, he had a pretty good idea who it was. And even then, what if he was wrong? It could be someone else. Mind as well keep it quiet until he knew for sure if it was who he had in mind. He sighed again for the third time without even realizing it. Shiruki shot up and straddled him seriously. She glared down at him, partially with worry. "Damn it, Gaara! Tell me what's wrong!" she demanded, grabbing his shoulders desperately. Gaara looked up at her with shock. She had never spoken that way to him before. It was really bothering her.

How could he tell her, though? How could he tell her who he suspected? One of two things would happen. One, Shiruki would confront Sasuke and ask him herself. Or two, she'd lose all trust in Gaara whatsoever. Neither sounded rather comforting. He looked up into her sad icy blue eyes and saw that she was resisting the urge to cry. He sighed again and averted his glance. He closed his eyes. He would not tell her. Shiruki, seeing this, felt her breath hitch. Why? They shared everything with each other. Why not now? She stared down at him and Gaara felt wetness on his collarbone through his shirt. He looked at her and his eyes widened a little. He turned to face her and sat up on his elbows. Shiruki brought her hands up to her face and tried to wipe away the never-ending tears. Gaara felt horrible. He brought his hand up to touch her cheek to try to comfort her, but Shiruki smacked him away. He retracted his hand back to his chest and just stared. Shiruki glared at him and Gaara, for once, felt a pang in his chest. That glared did a number of things. It set off anger. It set of depression. It even made him want to hold her and tell her everything. But he could not. He stared in apology and Shiruki saw the sadness in his eyes. She kept her glare in place, not allowing herself to give in. Gaara took her in his arms against her will and she fought to show that she did not wish to be held. "Shiruki!" Gaara said thunderously. His once quiet voice, now resonating in Shiruki's ears. She flinched at the tone. She had never heard such a sound before. So threatening. So commanding. She stopped and froze. Gaara's hold on her tightened and he sighed lightly. "I can't tell you..." he whispered softly. "It's not that I don't want to share anything with you...it's just that...I can't." He pulled away to look at her and she looked defiant. He hoped she understood. He tried once again to touch her cheek and this time, she let him. He wiped away her tears silently. He tried to look into her eyes, but when he did, he saw no forgiveness or love. He just saw resentment. The look he was accustomed to. But then...as he looked deeper, he noticed that that look was to cover up the hurt in her eyes. He gave her a sympathetic look and Shiruki lost it.

"Gaara...please...why can't you tell me?! What is stopping you!? Any other thing you tell me! Why not now!? Why so different!?" she asked, grabbing his shoulders in her hands again. Gaara's eyes flashed dangerously. Shiruki gasped and backed away a little. She lowered her head after breaking contact with him. "I'm...sorry..." she sniffled. "I...I just don't understand...why can't you tell me?" she said in a small voice Gaara did not recognize.

He realized what he had done and instantly felt another pang. He took her in his arms again and held her tightly, as if she'd leave him and never be heard from again. He buried his face in her collarbone and held her, refraining from crying in front of her. He didn't understand this emotion. Was it fear? Or was it sadness? Or was it both? It was the same as when Shiruki left him for the second time. He felt her arms wrap around him softly, holding him and consoling him at the same time. "I...it's something I can't say. Something I'm not sure of yet," he tried to say without the hurt. He succeeded, but with much difficulty.

Shiruki petted his hair lovingly and placed a kiss on the top of his head. She lolled her head back in thought and kept her arms around him. "What's happening to us, Gaara?" she whispered. "It's like...everything is falling apart...and there's nothing we can do to stop it," she whispered with evident pain in her voice. His eyes became dilated and he looked up at Shiruki. Was she trying to say that she didn't want him anymore? Was he that awful of a person? Had he hurt her that much? Gaara felt overwhelming sadness overcome him. Shiruki looked at him and her eyes widened. She shook her head. "No! Oh, Kame, Gaara! No! I wasn't talking about us splitting up!" she tried desperately to clarify. "I swear!" she said as a lone tear fell from her eyes. She realized how it sounded though. She would have taken it the same way. She smiled lovingly at him. "I love you too much to lose you," she whispered. She framed his face in both her hands and pulled him to her. She kissed his lips delicately, telling him that she was indeed telling the truth. Her love poured into that one kiss, Gaara felt safer. He kissed back and held her softly in his arms.

Something was indeed happening. But...was it all the because of the apprentice? What was this guy planning? Whatever it was, Gaara was sure that it was working much to their dismay. He didn't like being a pawn in someone's twisted little game. He swore, right then and there, that he would kill whoever this apprentice was. He would pay for making them question their relationship. He would pay for causing harm to Shiruki. He would pay for making everything go into a panic. Something was nagging at him though. It was something Kakashi said.

_"What evidence do you have that it is not one of us?"_

Gaara didn't like what he was suggesting. By that one statement, he was suggesting that someone in that room was the apprentice. That someone close to them was the apprentice. That someone, no matter how much he wanted to admit it, was toying with them. They were no doubt being messed with for the apprentice's enjoyment. This only made Gaara wish to strangle him even stronger. He was no one's fool. Nor was Shiruki. Mess with him, fine. Mess with his family...you crossed the line.

TBC...

A/N: Well...things are getting rather complicated. It's bad enough that Kakashi, Shika, and Sasuke all look guilty...but now..Shiruki and Gaara start to question their relationship. Stay tuned for the next chapter. R&R


	28. Konoha in Trouble, Sound Village Strikes

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine...

**Chapter 27: Konoha in Trouble, Sound Village Strikes!**

It had been several days since the meeting in Tsunade's office. Shiruki had noticed a rather guarded Gaara. He wasn't normally like this anymore. He couldn't possibly be reverting back to his normal self...could he? The thought stirred fear within Shiruki. She walked alongside him in silence, sorting out her thoughts. The villages were acting normally. The shinobi, however...they seemed rather distant and guarded. She turned her sights to her lover. Still silent. She studied his face and looked for a while as she walked. Sadness had overcome her. He wasn't telling her something. She could tell. She sighed lightly and tried to make the best of the situation. Maybe he wasn't telling her because he didn't want to hurt her. But what the Kazekage didn't realize was that he was hurting her now by not saying anything at all. Without any warning, she took hold of his hand in public.

Everyone looked at them oddly. Gaara looked at her slowly and then down at their hands. He realized that she was hurting and he grasped her hand back. It was all he could do. But, whether she liked it or not, he was protecting her. It would hurt her worse, however, if, and when, she found out. Late at night, when he should have slept, he lay awake thinking whether or not to tell her. He thought it best to keep is secret for now. He was unbelievably sure that a certain person was the apprentice. The thought sickened him. He grasped Shiruki's hand a little tighter, as if to comfort her and to relieve stress at the same time. But it was not harmful. She looked at him with a sad smile and he just stared at her. They were walking through the village in silence, heading toward the lake her and Konohamaru stopped at.

Shiruki kept her head low, in sadness it appeared, and kept close to Gaara. She had come to the decision that it was for the best that he didn't tell her what was on his mind. She accepted it and it became a little easier. She knew nothing of the apprentice. She had either been "dead" or she was with Konohamaru. This thought slipped Gaara's mind. It slipped everyone's mind. Gaara decided to tell her when they got to the lake. Even though it would hurt her, she had to know that there was that certainty that someone in Konoha was a traitor.

They walked further until they finally saw the lake. Gaara led her to the short and sat on a rock. She sat in between his legs and felt his arms wrap around her shoulder, pulling her into him. He rested his head on hers and Shiruki brought her hand to rest on his forearm. Gaara still contemplated. He barely felt the contact. He felt so lifeless. Like when she left. It was almost unbearable. With a steady flow of air, he started to tell her. "Shiruki," he said quietly in his deep voice. Shiruki sighed in response. It was barely a squeak. He paused before continuing. "What all do you know is going on with Leaf Village?" he asked quietly.

Shiruki looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" she asked innocently. He was finally telling her what was on his mind. He looked at her incredulously. She sighed and looked out over the lake again. "I know that everyone is acting funny toward one another. The villagers...are normal...but...all the shinobi...they're acting as if they don't trust one another..." she said, bringing her attention back to Gaara. "What's going on, Gaara?" she asked in a tiny voice.

Gaara stared at her with pity. She knew as much as he had expected her to. He sighed before looking out over the lake that shimmered beautifully under the setting sun's rays. The reflection was perfect on the undisturbed water. He picked his words carefully. "I attended a meeting with Tsunade and the others days ago..." Shiruki turned to face him fully. This couldn't be good. She stared intently upon his face and nodded to tell him to continue. Gaara turned his gaze upward to the sky. It was filled with oranges and reds, with hints of the incoming night's purple and indigo. "Someone wishes to kill us, Shiruki," he said, drained of all emotion. It didn't even phase him anymore. He had thought about it too much. Shiruki sighed and nodded in understanding. This was unlike her. He had half-expected her to burst into an angry fit. She stayed calm and urged him to continue. "While you were still recovering Nikkaku...a Sound ninja attacked. It was not Kasuke...or Takuya...it was another female. She told me that Orochimaru had an apprentice and this apprentice was interested in Kyuubi, Nikkaku, and Shukkaku. This apprentice went after you. He was the one who tried to extract Nikkaku." He turned his sights to Shiruki who looked emotionless at all of this. She showed no emotion of opinion whatsoever. Not even in her eyes. It was as if she were drained. Drained of all her humanity. It was unsettling. She nodded and Gaara averted his glance. "This apprentice...gave up on Kyuubi and Shukkaku..." he said, looking back at her. "He's after you. He wants Nikkaku. In order to obtain it...you must die," he said with difficulty. Shiruki's eyes were still blank. As was her expression. She nodded and turned her gaze to the sky. "In the meeting," he continued. "Uchiha suggested something." Shiruki snapped back to Gaara at Sasuke's name. This had caught her attention. "He said that it might be one of us. That we have a traitor among the village hidden in the leaves." Shiruki's eyes widened. This had struck something in her. He could see her trying not to lash out as he continued. "Shikamaru stepped in...they accused each other. Kakashi didn't look too innocent, either," he said with regret. "Tsunade tried to rule everyone out in the room. Hyuuga, Kakashi, Iruka, Hiruka, myself, Uzumaki, Uchiha...and some others." Shiruki looked as if she were thinking. She stared at him, telling him to continue. He did. "Kakashi...he said that we should not trust, nor should we distrust anyone until the apprentice is known. That is why all the shinobi are acting...difficult," he informed her, finishing his explanation.

Shiruki sighed and fisted her hair in frustration. She didn't know what to make of this. A traitor? Someone she had gotten close to? Someone that was a part of this village? Someone...was _lying_ to her? Her head drooped and her chakra spiked. Gaara's eyes widened a little. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. She kept her head bowed and felt Gaara shake her. She slowly lifted her head and he saw her eyes flash evilly. Chakra emitted from her fragile form and she stood, forcing Gaara to stand as well. A glare was plastered on her face. It was more evil than he had ever witnessed. "Someone...SOMEONE IS LYING TO ME!!!" she screamed as she darted off toward the village again.

Gaara intercepted her and wrapped his arms around her waist defensively. "Shiruki!" he growled. That tone again. It commanded her attention. She snapped from her blind rage for a second and looked at him, glare in place. Through her glare, however, tears leaked and streamed down her cheeks freely. She hadn't even noticed them until now. The look in her eyes was an angry, pained one. He looked at her with no emotions playing on his face. His grip tightened when he realized she was trying to move. "Calm down. You can't race off toward Konoha and just kill people blindly. You need to think reasonably."

Shiruki nodded. She was about to say something but then something exploded near the middle of town. Her eyes widened as she looked at Gaara. His eyes were wide also. They both nodded simultaneously and dashed off toward the explosion. On the way, a figure leaped in front of them, donning Sound Village attire. Shiruki skidded to a halt beside Gaara and growled at them. Her chakra spiked again. The figure looked up at them, now fully visible. The man had deep blue, almost navy, hair that reached down past shoulders. It was back in a pony tail, ruffled at the top. His bangs hung, resembling Sasuke's and he wore a Sound Village forehead protector slanted over one eye. He had fangs protruding from either side of his mouth and he stood at about 5'11, maybe 6' even. His eyes were the evillest of features. A demonic crimson, outlined with a deep black. He had a black choker around his neck, grinning like a mad man. Shiruki looked, more like glared, at him, pouring all her hate into that one stare. The man laughed. His voice was deep and silky. "My, my...what luck I have...the Kazekage and Nikkaku's carrier...how fortunate I am," he mused. His tone offered no reason not to kill him.

Shiruki glared at him. "Gaara..." she growled lowly, her eyes flashing again. "Go find out what that explosion was." Gaara nodded and glared at the man. He was reluctant to leave but he did, knowing Shiruki would get rather...uncontrollable with all this hate boiling inside of her. Seeing that Gaara was out of sight, she glared at the man again. "Who's the traitor?" she growled.

The man merely laughed in her face. "You mean the 'apprentice'...as you guys call him?" he questioned rather mockingly. He snickered again as Shiruki growled in response. She was in no mood to play games with this man. She had better things to tend to. Sand flew up around her. She was, after all, a Sand shinobi. Given, that doesn't necessarily mean that she can control sand, but she watched and learned from Gaara. Even though he had Shukkaku to assist him, Nikkaku allowed her to control sand as well. It was a "match made in heaven." Nikkaku was another famous Sand demon. In fact, it was actually said that Shukkaku and Nikkaku wreaked havoc together long ago. That is why it had been observed and noticed that Shukkaku carriers and Nikkaku carriers tend to be drawn to each other. Nikkaku only possesses females, so it all works out. If she were to be put inside a male, she would slowly kill them from the inside out. This too has been tested, unfortunately. Shiruki was suddenly brought from her "history lesson" by her opponent in front of her. "Ah, so it is true...Nikkaku does reside within your body...no wonder the boss is so interested in you, girl," he smirked.

Shiruki growled. "I asked you a question," she growled. "I could force it out of you, though," she offered maliciously. She was in no mood to deal with incompetence and arrogance at the moment. She could end this all now and kill him swiftly, but she needed information. "Now...tell me who the apprentice is!" she growled.

The man smirked yet again and pulled out a kunai. "No can do," he said quietly, preparing to attack her. Shiruki, not being able to take much more of his insolence, lashed out toward him. She ran full speed toward him and he disappeared from sight. Her eyes widened. He was just as fast as Lee's Taijutsu! She spun around in time to see his fist coming toward her cheek. It connected and she was thrown backward into a tree. She coughed at the loss of air and blood dribbled from her mouth. She had bit her lip. She growled and glared at him. He ran straight at her and disappeared again.

She looked around desperately, trying to sense him. She extended her "feelers" and felt him above her. She stayed motionless and did hand gestures for a replication jutsu. She pressed her hands together. Her eyes burst open. "Shadow clone jutsu!" she screamed. In a poof of smoke, about twenty more Shiruki's appeared before her. All of them retreated and the original Shiruki turned to face the man. She pressed her hands together again. Lucky her, she could copy jutsu without the use of Sasuke's Sharingan. A clone appeared beside her. They both held their wrists and growled. She focused her chakra into the palm of her hand and saw the man running directly toward her again. _'Not this time, bastard,'_ she growled mentally, her eyes betraying her thoughts. She growled and yelled, focusing more chakra into her hand. She used her sand clone when the man attempted to attack her from behind. Seeing that all her chakra was focused, she swung her arm around, the man disappeared and reappeared in front of her again. She ran at him, hand pulled back ready for a punch, and growled. "Rasengan!" she growled, pushing the ball of chakra into him. The man screamed in pain as he was assaulted by the fatal blow. His insides exploded through his back and his blood from his mouth spilled on Shiruki's face. She remained unaffected. All her shadow clones disappeared. She glared at him as his body fell lifelessly to the ground. She stood upright and clenched her fists. "You can stop observing me now," she said in an all too calm voice.

A woman appeared behind her, her arms folded over her chest arrogantly. "So...you disposed of Miro...not bad, demon," she smirked. Shiruki smirked as well. She turned to the woman. She stood at about 5'6, stunning red hair, amber gold eyes. She had lines on her face. Not just any lines. No. These were from the curse mark. Just like Sasuke's...just like Tayuya and the other Sound shinobi that kidnapped him so long ago. Kunai floated around her, point facing Shiruki.

Shiruki made a mental note of how many there were. _'Thirteen kunai...'_ she noted. She glared at the woman before her. "Since your partner couldn't answer my question...I'll ask you." The woman smirked. "Who is Orochimaru's apprentice?" she asked calmly. If she wasn't willing to cooperate, she would kill her just as the man before her.

The woman before her smirked. "And you will receive the same answer as before, demon. That is confidential. If you wish to know so bad...go through me. He is waiting for you in the center of town," she smirked.

Shiruki growled. "Suit yourself," she growled. Shiruki unfolded her arms and the woman threw kunai at her. The ones floating in the air around her darted toward Shiruki. Sand shot up to block them, forming into a sand clone that had caught them between her fingers. The sand molded into shape and threw them back at the woman. The woman nimbly dodged and spun out of the way. Shiruki threw shuriken at her and the woman leaped into the air. Shiruki threw more shuriken and the woman threw some of her own to counter it. The shuriken fell to the ground and Shiruki growled. She would be slightly more difficult than the last.

As the woman was coming down, she threw a kick at the sand clone, intending for it to go through it and hit Shiruki. Things did not happen as such. Instead, the sand clone attacked back and started to envelop the woman's leg. She punched the clone off and it disintegrated around her. The woman retreated. She smirked at her. "I see...you fight like Gaara of the Sand," she smirked. Shiruki remained cold and emotionless. "Heh...you will be worthy enough to know my name. It is Shizu. Not like it matters. YOU WILL DIE HERE!" she yelled as she started up her own onslaught of kunai and shuriken. The sand gracefully, but effectively and swiftly, rose up to catch and "devour" the weapons. When is retreated, Shizu was no where to be found. Shiruki sensed her behind her and turned to face her. Sand shot up for protection and the woman smirked before spinning behind Shiruki. She ducked and spun under the sand and delivered a kick to her jaw, sending her flying into the air. Shiruki quickly did hand signs for Sasuke's fire jutsu. She put her hand to her lips in an "o." "Fire style! Fire ball jutsu!" she yelled, blowing and expelling fire at Shizu.

Shizu did signs of her own. "Water style! Water bullets!" she said, spitting water bullets onto the fire ones, extinguishing them in an instant. Shiruki growled and hit the ground. She knelt and saw Shizu run toward her at incredible speed. Shiruki barely had time to dodge. The sand bolted up and imprisoned Shizu. She growled and her form popped into a log.

Shiruki cursed under her breath. How could she not see through a simple substitution jutsu? "Damn it.." she sighed. She turned to her right to look for the Sound ninja that escaped her grasp. She sensed she was running circles...no wait...she had clones, each with equally distributed chakra to throw off the trail. Shiruki breathed deep and closed her eyes in concentration. Sand darted up to her left. Shuriken. Sand darted up to her back. Kunai. She began to get frustrated. She tried to calm herself, knowing that getting frustrated would merely cloud her judgment. She breathed deeply and looked around once more. Sand shot up to her right again, but this time it was a body. Shiruki looked to the right and the sand shot out offensively. It pierced through the being and it poofed away. Being left unguarded, Shizu took the opportunity to attack Shiruki's left. Shiruki turned just in time to have the kunai barely skim her cheek. She grabbed Shizu's arm and followed through, letting momentum take it's course. Shiruki, seeing Shizu trip, jammed her elbow into the middle of Shizu's back harshly. The clone poofed and she snarled. "Come out, you coward!" she growled.

A laughter was heard from a distance. It seemed to surround her, much to Shiruki's discomfort. She scanned the area. She closed her eyes and breathed quietly, trying to locate the sound. "I see that Kazekage's lover is distraught!" Shizu said as she attacked from behind. Sand bolted up and quickly took care of the clone. "I see...you are using your awareness," Shizu mocked. "Really think me that easy?" Shiruki turned to her left and walked a few paces. The sand shot up behind her and blocked multiple shuriken. She felt more chakra in this area. She stopped and looked up in a tree. Shizu. She smirked. Shizu growled. Shiruki smirked again and disappeared. She reappeared behind Shizu and delivered a rough kick to the back of her neck, forcing her from the tree and face first onto the ground below her. Shiruki crouched to prepare to use a jutsu. Shizu got up on her hands and knees and grinned before throwing shuriken back at Shiruki. Shiruki's eyes widened and quickly did gestures for a fire style jutsu. Sand shot up quick enough to block the incoming shuriken. She growled as it fell and Shizu laid there on the ground, staring defiantly at her. "Fire style! Fireball jutsu!" she yelled, forming her fingers in an "o" again and pressing them near her face. She breathed and the air turned into the fireballs she wanted. It rained fire on Shizu, emitting an ear-shattering scream from the woman. She had not time to dodge. Shiruki was about to leap down to her, but she felt a sharp, paralyzing pain in her back. Her eyes widened and she glanced backward. Shizu was behind her, digging a kunai deep into her back. She looked back at the ground and saw another log. "S-substitution...jutsu..." she breathed as she fell on her stomach onto the ground. She tried to get up. Her arms shook violently, holding her weight. She made it to her knees, only to be kicked up into the air by her ribs. She coughed out blood and flew defenselessly. Shizu appeared above her and delivered an Axe kick to her head, slamming her back down into the ground rather brutally. Shiruki winced and spit up more blood. She cracked an eye open and saw Shizu glaring and grinning above her.

"Now...what were you saying?" she asked arrogantly. "I couldn't quite hear you, what, with the blood and coughing thing..." she smirked. A thought came to her. "Oh!" she said as she knelt beside her. She poked her stomach and Shiruki's eyes widened with fear. "I'm sorry...are you pregnant?" she smirked.

Shiruki growled and glared at her. "Don't you dare," she ground out through clenched teeth. She swore she'd kill this insolent woman, if it was the last thing she'd do. Shizu just snickered and took a kunai from her pocket. She twirled it until she finally grasped it, pressing the tip into Shiruki's stomach, not enough to penetrate, but enough for Shiruki to become aware that it was there. Shiruki snarled and tried to get up again. She was rewarded with a pressure on her stomach. She hissed in pain and resigned temporarily. Just she wait until Shiruki had recovered from that blow to the ribs. Boy, was she in for it. For now, Shiruki settled for glaring maliciously at the woman above her.

"Let's see...how far along are you, Shiruki?" she mused. She dug the kunai deeper and Shiruki felt blood pool on the dip of her stomach. She winced and Shizu just grinned. "No matter...this is, what...your second attempt?" she teased. She was indeed enjoying this.

Shiruki gathered enough chakra for what she was aiming for. Thank Kame Gaara took the time to teach her his sand tactics. With Nikkaku, they were just as powerful, if not more. She opened her hand and sand rushed to take hold of Shizu, leaving the kunai jammed in Shiruki's stomach as Shizu floated feet away from her. No doubt this was the real one. Shiruki smirked. "And now...you die," she whispered. Shizu's eyes held fear. Shiruki clenched her fist tightly. "Desert...Coffin..." she breathed. Shizu's blood escaped the "coffin" and splashed out onto random things. Rocks, trees, dirt, Shiruki. Shiruki lay there for a few moments, trying to regain herself. With a hiss in pain, she sat up. She looked at her stomach and saw the kunai still in there. She ripped it from her stomach and threw it aside. She inhaled sharply and held her new hole. Nikkaku started to heal her and for once, she welcomed it. After it was done, Nikkaku started to heal any other wounds, like the one in her back for instance. Once she felt revitalized, she stood to her feet. She had limited chakra left. If she wanted to defeat the apprentice, she needed more chakra. Otherwise, she had to tap into Nikkaku's like Naruto had taught her.

With a sigh, she took off toward the center of town. She saw tons of dead bodies laying on the ground. Women...men...children...infants...Shiruki shook her head and cursed under her breath. "You bastard," she whispered as she increased her pace to make it to her destination. In the middle of town, she saw Gaara on the ground. She growled. He looked disoriented. Like his mind was anywhere but where he was now. She rushed to his side and shook him from his trance. She looked at him. "Hey. Are you alright?" she asked quietly. She scanned the surrounding area. No one. She looked down at him. "Gaara?" she asked. He looked at her and blinked. In a swift movement, he shoved a kunai into her shoulder. She flinched and felt the blood run freely down her back. She winced at the pain. "G-Gaara..." she whispered.

Gaara's eyes held different emotions than the ones she recognized. She felt her vision blur and she collapsed onto "Gaara's" chest. She was still conscious, but she was...off in la-la-land. "Shiruki!" screamed a familiar knuckle-headed ninja. Her vision drifted to Naruto and Gaara, along with Sasuke.

"G-Gaara...N-Naru...to...S-Sasuke!" she choked out through the pain. She tried to get up, but realized that arms were holding her against him. "Let go!" she growled as she threw a fist at the man's face. She hit, but not as hard as she wanted. All this earned her was a swift, accurate blow to a pressure point in the back of her neck, rendering her unconscious.

"Bastard! Give back Shiruki!" Naruto growled. He prepared to do a shadow clone jutsu. He stopped when he saw "Gaara" hold a kunai to her throat. He stopped dead in his tracks. Gaara and Sasuke just glared at the impostor that held a limp Shiruki in his arms.

"Not so fast..." the man said in a voice, not like Gaara's. The disguise started to fade and amber eyes were visible. Purple eye shadow, resembling Orochimaru's, showed too. Black hair was visible as he peeled away his Gaara appearance. "Now...Kazekage...I suggest you come with me. You see...we need Shukkaku as well as Nikkaku. One without the other...is useless," the man said in a lower voice, that threatened many things.

Gaara glared at him. "Show us your real appearance," Gaara demanded. "Orochimaru is dead. You are still wearing a disguise. Show yourself."

The man grinned. "Smart one, young Kazekage," he smirked. "But I am afraid that information as to who I am is confidential. Only the apprentice may see who I am...and he...is among you...right now," he smirked. Sasuke, Gaara, and Naruto's eyes widened. Gaara knew it wasn't him. Sasuke knew it wasn't him. Naruto knew it wasn't him. So who was it? It was a bluff!

Naruto growled. "You're bluffing!" he snarled. He proceeded with the shadow clone jutsu and tons of Naruto's popped up before them, surrounding the person holding Shiruki. "Give her back..." Naruto warned. Gaara's sand shot up to get ready to take her by force, if necessary. Sasuke prepared to bring forth his Chidori as he glared at the man. Naruto had a clone get the Rasengan ready as he glared at him. "Last chance! Give Shiruki back to us, bastard!" he growled.

The man merely shook his head, indicating this would be much harder for them,especially since he held Shiruki so close to him. They would have to be extremely careful if they planned on retrieving her without harming her in the crossfire. This indeed was the famous high ranked mission Naruto had hoped for. The dreaded S class mission he wanted so badly so long ago. Ever since he joined the Anbu black ops, he had hoped to receive one. Today was the day. "My apologies. The apprentice wishes to have Shiruki for his own..." he said as he sent a quizzical look at all three of them.

Gaara felt the urge to release Shukkaku become overwhelmingly strong. He pushed it back the best he could in fear of harming Shiruki. He glanced to her motionless form and saw that she showed signs of waking soon. This was to their advantage. If she awoke, she would squirm throwing his attention on Gaara, Sasuke, and Naruto off while they attacked him, retrieving her. Of course, this plan was useless if she did not wake soon. He looked ancy. As if he were waiting for the word to leave. As if he wanted to leave. But couldn't. Something was stopping him. Gaara had no clue what, but a thought came to him. This mad had said that the apprentice was among them. It wasn't him. It couldn't be Naruto. Gaara was unsure why, but he still suspected the Uchiha. Ever since the meeting, he could not get his mind off of accusing Sasuke. He knew not why. But it was all he had. With a quick glance back at Sasuke, Gaara saw that he was determined. Of course, this could all be a front. That is...until the real battle began.

If it was not Uchiha, then the apprentice was indeed watching from somewhere. The question was...where?

TBC...

A/N: There ya go! Either next chapter, or the following chapter, the apprentice will be revealed! Stay tuned! And I know some are suspecting some characters. I bet you all have it figured out, don't you? Hehehe. Anyways...R&R!


	29. Stem for all Reason

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine...I swear I am tempted to just stop putting these...wonder if I'll get in trouble . . v.v best not risk it...damn annoyances...

**Chapter 28: Stem for all Reason**

Gaara started to scan the area until Naruto popped up with a remark. He walked up to Gaara, his face by his ear, glaring at the man that held Shiruki close. "Gaara," he whispered seriously. "To our right...see that? On the building wearing black," Naruto whispered so only he could hear.

Gaara released the man's stare and started to look over to where Naruto had pointed out. He too saw a black figure, sitting on the rooftop observing them closely. Gaara returned his sights back to the man with Shiruki and spoke to Naruto quietly. Almost too quiet to be heard. "Take Sasuke and find out who that man is," he ordered, somewhat calm. The calmest he could manage when this strange man was holding his unconscious lover. Any other man would have snapped and attacked blindly. Blinded by rage and hatred. Gaara knew better. He mentally scouted the area around them. He sensed Naruto and Sasuke take off and he glanced at them before keeping an eye on the man before him. "I tire of your riddles. Who is the apprentice?" he asked, rather commanded, in his low voice.

The man smirked. The man sighed and shrugged. Shiruki's eyes opened and Gaara saw it, but said nothing. He saw her eyes close again, feigning unconsciousness. The man smirked. Did he know? Or was it arrogance. He readjusted Shiruki to make her drape over his right shoulder, his hand on her thigh. He glared at Gaara. "You want to know so bad? You're going to have to kill me. The other two took off after him," he smirked. Gaara was unsure why. He was hiding something. "By the way...since I know your name...I think I'll give you the pleasure of knowing mine, seeing as how I am going to be the one that kills you!" he snapped at him. "Shisuke Kisuname!" he grinned, throwing a kunai at Gaara.

Sand shot up out of his gourd and shot at the man after blocking the incoming threat. What did he take him for? A child? He was taking on the Kazekage. You'd think that title alone would mean that Gaara was no push over. But this guy was just asking for it. Gaara easily would have hit him, if they guy didn't use Shiruki as a shield. _'Pathetic coward,' _Gaara thought to himself with a look that could kill. Shisuke grinned and threw shuriken at Gaara, expecting him to dodge. Gaara did, but sand shot up to block a fireball to his right afterward. _'Come on, Shiruki...wake up!'_ he growled mentally.

As if on cue, Shiruki jammed a kunai deep into Shisuke's spine, causing him to drop her in midair. She fell and Gaara's sand caught her, lowering her to her feet at his side. She kept her eyes on him and snarled. The stripes on her cheek became jagged. Gaara looked at her and frowned. He turned his attention back to Shisuke, who was on the ground on his knees, holding his back in pain. He snatched the kunai out of his back and performed some hand gestures of his own. Flames emitted around his wrists and he grinned. "Alright...time to get serious," he snarled as he disappeared. He appeared to Shiruki's left and Shiruki barely avoided his inflamed fists. She leaped backward and glared at the man. She did her own jutsu, one from Sasuke's handbook and brought her hand to her mouth. "Fire Style! Mythical Fire Flower!" she yelled as she spat multiple fireballs at Shisuke, following his movements. He dodged to the right and dodged to the left, running away from the assaulting fire. Sand shot up behind Shiruki and she hit Shisuke. The clone disappeared and she snarled. She saw the sand behind her and saw it retreat. She looked around and didn't see him. She felt a grab on her shoulder and felt her chakra leave her, as well as her energy. "Energy Absorption jutsu," she whispered. She tried to move, but found that she was frozen. She suddenly felt the hand detach and she almost fell. She felt arms around her waist and looked at Gaara. She looked at Shisuke and saw him grinning arrogantly with the flame gone. "Bastard!" she growled. Shiruki tried to stand and charge at him, but felt her knees give out. She fell and glared at the man. Her energy was gone. She had to tap into Nikkaku's. She cursed again and snarled at the man. She heard a voice in the back of her head. _'You need me...allow me to assist you.'_ It was Nikkaku. Shiruki pushed that thought aside. She would be damned if she would let that damn cat assist her.

'_Admit it...you need me. You have no energy left,'_ the voice taunted. It was patronizing. Yet, at the same time, it was welcoming. Shiruki shook her head, trying to get ahold of her own thoughts. The voice boomed in her head suddenly. _'Quit being stubborn! If you do not allow me to help, you will DIE!'_

Shiruki's eyes widened. She reluctantly agreed. Nikkaku's chakra circulated throughout her body and she felt her strength returning. She glared at Shisuke. Gaara had been fighting him all this time. He stood by her side, of course, but he used his sand to chase him. She noticed him doing hand signs. Her eyes widened. _'No...not that one!'_ she whispered to herself. She watched him. He was partially possessed by Shukkaku. His once heavenly face, at least in her eyes, was now tainted by the horrid raccoon dog. Amber eyes replacing icy blue. Sand replacing skin. Gaara opened his mouth and sand spewed from it in a large blast, surrounding the area in front of him, and in result, striking Shisuke. He was blown back into a wall, where he remained, until the onslaught of sand stopped. He slumped to the ground, cuts on his body from the grains, and growled. Gaara stared at him and glanced at Shiruki. When he turned back to Shisuke, he noticed it was a substitution jutsu. His face contorted in frustration and he looked at Shiruki again. "Are you harmed?" he asked.

Shiruki shook her head. "Nikkaku is lending me her energy..." she said grudgingly. She stood and looked around. Sand shot up to her right and she quickly whipped around to see Shisuke above her. She grinned. She held out her hand and sand shot to him. Another Sound ninja came and saved Shisuke in time. She sighed in frustration and felt Gaara pull her along. "Gaara? What the-"

"Uzumaki and Uchiha need your help. Go. I will take care of him." He looked down at her seriously and saw she was about to protest. "I still have half my chakra left. Go," he ordered rather harshly. Shiruki's brows knitted together in worry and he smirked. He kissed her chastely and nudged her. "I will be fine." Shiruki nodded reluctantly and glared at the two Sound ninja before darting off in the direction of Naruto and Sasuke. Gaara, seeing Shiruki safely away, turned back to the other two.

"Well, well, Shisuke...Gaara of the Sand too much for you?" a younger man asked him tauntingly. Shisuke scoffed. The man looked at Shisuke blankly. "You really are useless..." he sighed. Shisuke's eyes widened and he started to grab his head in pain. "Silence," the younger man said quietly. In that instance, Shisuke was indeed silent. He fell to the ground and was dead, blood escaping his ears and the corners of his eyes like crimson tears. Gaara watched carefully. What had the man done? The man laughed and Gaara's attention finally made it to the man's face. He had long black hair, Hyuuga style, with Uchiha's bangs. He bore red marks on his cheeks in the shapes of upright triangles. He stood at about 5'11, donning black baggy pants, black ninja shoes, and a cloak resembling the Akatsuki's, minus the red clouds and the high collar. The front dipped to about mid-chest, exposing mesh underneath. The sleeves were baggy to his knuckles. Gaara observed his village. It was no doubt Sound. The man grinned. "Allow me to apologize, Kazekage-sama...we have not yet been properly introduced...I am Mihara of the Sound," he said with a mocking bow. He stood and glared at the Kazekage. "I bet you don't know why Sound is attacking Leaf...do you?" he grinned. Gaara crossed his arms and glared at the man. Mihara laughed. "Didn't think so..." His grin became an evil smirk as he eyed Gaara's impassive form. "As you know...Orochimaru is dead...but...are you aware of how he died?" he challenged. Gaara remained silent, letting the fool babble on. "Apparently...the Hokage, Tsunade, I believe her name was, found, or rather, created a jutsu to counteract Lord Orochimaru's Immortality jutsu, thus killing him and Kabuto, the previously planned successor. Luckily, Orochimaru was training the apprentice in case such an occasion happened." Mihara smirked. "So you see...this is personal. Tsunade should die. And in order to defeat the woman, we need Nikkaku and Shukkaku. Kyuubi...is expendable. The two Sand demons are of our main interest. The Akatsuki succeeded in withdrawing Shukkaku from your body once, did they not?" he challenged. Gaara's glare just became harsher at that statement. He had lost his life and this insolent whelp found it amusing. This pissed Gaara off. Mihara laughed. "I see I struck a nerve...I do apologize," he said, clearly patronizing the young Kazekage. Mihara looked Gaara over. "The previous Kazekage must have been stupid to have put such a powerful demon inside of you...you can't even _defend _it, much less _handle_ it." Gaara stayed calm. Well, as calm as calm could possibly mean while someone purposely tried to piss him off. It did not matter. He would be dead soon anyways.

"So," Gaara said quietly. "Sound is attacking Leaf because Tsunade killed Orochimaru and Kabuto," Gaara reasoned, earning a simple nod from Mihara. Gaara couldn't help but smirk. "Sound Village is ignorant. I seem to have given them too much credit..." he mused lowly, earning a glare from Mihara.

Mihara resumed his tranquil facial expression before speaking. "It seems, Kazekage...that Sound carries a deep hatred for Leaf. Ever since Orochimaru was alive and attacked Sarutobi. And failed. Orochimaru was pissed that Sarutobi rendered his hands useless with that forbidden jutsu of his. With no hands, he could not weave hand signs to perform jutsu...of course...that would be rather frustrating, wouldn't you agree?" he challenged back. Gaara shrugged lightly. He could care less about Orochimaru. He just wanted the apprentice. He wanted to kill him, painfully and very slowly. It'd be a cold day in hell before he let Shiruki die again. Mihara suddenly sighed. "Well...there ya go. The stem for all reason." He chuckled at himself. He uncrossed his arms and started stretching arrogantly. Gaara just watched. This man was truly full of himself, not to mention, annoying. "Now...shall we get this over with? Or...do you wish to flirt some more?" he winked.

Gaara growled and sand shot out toward Mihara. This was personal. He would stop it nothing, kill anyone in his way, until Shiruki's death was avenged. Though she was alive and well now, it did not matter. They still killed her once. That was enough. Mihara easily dodged and smirked. Gaara followed his movements with his eyes and kept his arms crossed. This would be easy. As soon as he hit ground, he would use his Desert Funeral. Just as Mihara was about to hit the ground, he leaped back onto a building. Gaara stared at him. Mihara wore a smirk. "I see...you were planning on using your famous Desert Funeral, were you not?" he inquired. Gaara remained quiet. He could read thoughts. Gaara smirked and cracked his neck. "I know every thought you have, no matter what you think of. I see all your thoughts, Kazekage," he grinned. No wonder he was so cocky. The bastard knew all his moves before Gaara even knew them. He would just have to fake him out. Let Shukkaku out or at least take control to fight. That thought sickened him. "And you wish to let Shukkaku face me? How cowardly, Kazekage..." he said with disappointment.

Gaara let a growl escape his lips. "I have had enough of you!" he snarled as sand lashed out toward him again. Mihara's eyes widened temporarily and he attempted to dodge. He was another Deidara...how bothersome. Mihara smirked and snickered. Bastard heard that. Gaara smirked. He pressed his hands together. _'I have no other choice...'_ Gaara thought to himself. Just as he was about to complete the full possession jutsu, Shiruki's face flashed through his head. He froze.

Mihara stopped for a second. He couldn't read Gaara's thoughts anymore. _'What's going on? Why can't I read his mind? What is he doing!?'_ Mihara snarled to himself. He glared at Gaara. Gaara was frozen in place and looking as if he'd seen a ghost. He snapped from his confusion and looked at Mihara. He saw bewilderment in his eyes. Gaara blinked. Thinking of Shiruki...made him not be able to read his mind? How odd...

Shukkaku's voice resonated inside his head. His eyes widened. _'He can't read your thoughts if I am clouding them,'_ he mentally smirked. Gaara visibly cringed. Shukkaku had prevented Mihara from reading his thoughts. _'Now is your chance. Make use of the time. It isn't certain of how long I can keep this up. So get moving!'_ the Sand spirit raged.

TBC...

A/N: Moving right along...and don't worry...the next 2 or 3 chapters are going to be very action filled XD It seems Kittie is having a violent streak! Goody goody! Anyways...R&R!


	30. Gaara vs Mihara! Duel to the Death!

Disclaimer: Naruto not mine...yet XD...alright...fine...never will be...sheesh...stupid disclaimer...

**Chapter 29: Gaara vs Mihara! A Duel to the Death!**

Gaara grinned and glared at Mihara. He pressed his hands together for another jutsu and smirked. He slammed his hands into the ground and crouched. "Desert Funeral," he said lowly. Mihara's eyes widened. He quickly leaped from the ground to a building's roof. Gaara ended the jutsu and stood, glaring at Mihara. Mihara smirked and did a jutsu of his own. He closed his eyes and wind blew the hair from his face, revealing a Sharingan eye. Gaara frowned upon seeing this. _'Damn,'_ he cursed mentally. He heard Shukkaku snicker in the background and Gaara sent a mental glare at him, instigating him further. _'Just remember, Sharingan can only copy what it sees. However, there is no record of it copying bloodline or demon moves,' _Shukkaku advised him quietly. Gaara looked around quickly to see if there was anyway he could lure Mihara away from the already destroyed Konoha. He saw an exit and decided to go for it. He called upon his sand and used it as a tidal wave, riding it out of Konoha.

Mihara smirked. He knew what the Kazekage was up to. Nonetheless, he followed. He kept at his heels and performed jutsu on the way, spitting fireballs and water balls. Even going as far as using Hoshiganki Kisame's Water Dragon. Gaara's sand blocked all of them, however. He kept leading Mihara away from Konoha, coming to the same clearing him and Naruto had fought so long ago. He landed gracefully on a tree and sand shot up in front of him, just in time to block another fireball thrown by the persistent Sound ninja. Mihara landed on a branch not far from Gaara and smirked. "I see...how noble of you, Gaara of Suna. Leading me away from Konoha to prevent further damage." Mihara smirked. "However...I don't advise you to turn your back on me again," he said, hate and rage in his eyes.

Gaara smirked. This was going to be another challenge. Just like facing Naruto all over again. Suddenly, Mihara replicated himself. Each clone whipped out a kunai and wrapped a sutra around the handle, grinning smugly. Gaara recognized this maneuver. Naruto used it when he was partially possessed. Said red head frowned and resumed his glare, preparing to face him again. Sand shot up behind him and Gaara's eyes widened temporarily. How did he get behind him that fast when he had his eyes on him the whole time!? Gaara growled and kept his eyes on the other clones. They lunged at him and Gaara used his sand to wipe out all of the incoming clones, forcing them into trees. The original Mihara grinned and charged at him, drawing the kunai back for an attack. Gaara's sand shot out to attack him and Mihara smirked before changing positions, using the sand as a bridge from him to Gaara. He ran along it swiftly and Gaara increased his movements to capture him. Mihara nimbly dodged, making it to Gaara. He jammed the kunai in Gaara's shoulder while the sand was being used and quickly retreated, detonating it, ripping a growl and a scream from Gaara. When the smoke cleared, Gaara stood, holding a bleeding shoulder. He growled at Mihara and Mihara grinned with a tiny snicker. _'So fast...'_ Shukkaku snickered in his head. _'What is so funny?'_ Gaara demanded to the sand tenuki residing within him. Shukkaku mentally grinned. _'You are. Not being able to keep up with this pathetic human. If this keeps up, I will possess you, Gaara,' _he said, disappearing again. Gaara snarled and stood upright. Maybe Shukkaku was right. Maybe the only way to beat this guy was through possession. It was worth a shot. He pressed his hands together and breathed deep. Sand started to cover the left side of his body and his eyes shot open. The right side was still icy blue, but the left was possessed by the tenuki he so hated. Using this possession increased his speed, not to mention his agility. He charged at Mihara and swung. Mihara dodged and Gaara's sand shot up, ramming into the man's stomach roughly, knocking him into a tree. He fell to his knees and coughed at the loss of air. Gaara landed on an adjacent tree branch and turned to face him. Mihara stood and snickered. Gaara growled and lunged at him again.

Mihara used a fire style jutsu Gaara recognized. Uchiha's giant fireball. He growled and quickly evaded the attack. He leaped off a trunk and dashed toward Mihara, slamming his fist into Mihara's head, knocking him into branches on the way down to the ground. Said man's body rammed into the ground at unbelievable speed, knocking the wind from him again. He coughed up blood and smirked. He wove more hand signs and looked directly at Gaara. Mind switching, Ino's move. Shukkaku prevented Gaara's mind from switching into the man's body and Mihara snarled in defeat. It was no use. Gaara came up on Mihara swiftly and Mihara delivered a well aimed kick to Gaara's stomach without warning, knocking him backward. He planted his feet on the ground and snarled, skidding to a halt. He stood and him and Mihara locked eyes.

Meanwhile...

Shiruki sped through Konoha, searching for Naruto and Sasuke. "Naru-kun! Sasuke-kun!" she growled loudly, trying to locate them. She caught scent of them, thanks to Nikkaku's strong and sensitive nose. She made a sharp right into an alleyway. "Damn it!!" she growled. She kicked down the alley wall and saw Sasuke and Naruto on the other side. She blinked in amazement and laughed lightly. "Well...that was easy," she said, walking through the mess and to Naruto and Sasuke. She saw that they were exhausted and she quickly rushed to their sides. "What happened?" she asked, scanning the area for enemies, namely, the apprentice. No one in sight. She turned her sights back to Naruto and Sasuke.

Naruto was first to answer. He was physically exhausted. His breath came in ragged breaths. He had seriously taken a beating. Stubborn ninja didn't know when to quit. Shiruki mentally smirked. "The apprentice...he's somewhere close. We've fought tons of likenesses and still...not one of them are the apprentice. He's using a Shadow Clone jutsu...I'm sure of it." Naruto tried to regain his breath.

Sasuke panted as well, beaten and battered. He looked exhausted too and his chakra was low. He had just used Chidori. He met his limit. Shiruki noticed him holding his wrist, trying to force out another Chidori. She walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her and Shiruki shook her head in response. "Don't force yourself," she said quietly, looking around. No one around. It was too quiet. Like the eye of a storm. Safe for now, until the second wave hit. And hit it did. Kunai shot out from all around them and Shiruki's sand shot up to block them all in a likeness to Gaara's ultimate defense. Seeing that the danger was gone, she slumped to her knee and panted. Nikkaku, though powerful, was still reaching her limit. Not to mention, Shiruki was physically exhausted as well. She had expended too much energy. She had no choice. She had to tap into more of Nikkaku's powers. She pressed her hands together and started to form a Rasengan ball of chakra. This would deplete more of her chakra to almost half. She sighed as it was finally in her hand. Now, to find the really apprentice. There were many around them. She closed her eyes and growled. None of them were the real one. She looked to Naruto before eying the clones before them. Donned in black Anbu wardrobe, each with masks. "Naruto," she said lowly. Naruto looked at her, catching his breath after a while. "Can you still use your Shadow Clone?" she asked.

Naruto stood and sighed. "I'll try. What do you have in mind?" he asked quietly. Sasuke came up to them after a while of resting. Naruto saw that he was injured. He was spent. Naruto still hadn't used up Kyuubi's chakra. He was still safe.

Shiruki smirked. "All of these are clones. It's not clear where the real one is. I think...if we take care of all these clones, it might draw the apprentice out into the open." She looked at Naruto with a grin. "What do you think? Ya up to a challenge?" she smirked. Naruto grinned back and pressed his hands together, performing the Shadow Clone jutsu. Hundreds of Naruto's poofed before them, all holding kunai. Shiruki followed his example and produced hundreds of replicas of herself as well. Sasuke stood there, watching. He looked at his hand. He couldn't force out another Chidori. If he did, the curse mark would consume him and he might lose his life. He frowned at the possibility. "Alright...ready, Naru-chan?" Shiruki smirked, preparing to dash off. The Rasengan went back into her body, saving the chakra. The army of Naruto's nodded, as did the army of Shiruki. "Go!" she yelled, their clones charging out into the middle of the landscape, preparing for an all out clone war.

With Gaara and Mihara

Gaara had to result in another level of possession. Shukkaku's tail was not visible, along with the left arm. He prayed it would not have to result in another Naruto incident. He couldn't handle it at the moment. He couldn't afford to have another devastating battle like that. Shiruki and the others needed him for the apprentice. He couldn't afford to be useless now. Mihara held his wrist, grinning madly. Gaara watched him with interest. _'Chidori!' _he snarled mentally to himself.

Mihara formed a chirping ball of lightning like chakra in the palm of his left hand. He ducked low and swung his arm around, charging madly at Gaara. He recoiled his hand and prepared to thrust his chakra into Gaara like Sasuke had before. Gaara tried to dodge, but Mihara's added speed was too much. The Chidori snagged his left shoulder and Gaara snarled, striking Mihara with his tail. Mihara's motionless body flew through trunks and branches until Gaara reappeared behind him and delivered a spine-breaking kick to his lower back. He heard a snap and an agonized scream from the man before him. Mihara lay on the ground lifelessly and Gaara tried to regain himself. He caught his balance on a branch and snarled at Mihara. The broken man tried to move, only to have Gaara's foot slam into his back again. Mihara coughed up more blood. He glared up at Gaara over his shoulder and grinned. He grabbed ahold of Gaara's ankle and held on tight. The same jutsu Shisuke used on Shiruki to sap her chakra. Gaara snarled and planted his foot into Mihara's face, kicking him off and away. Mihara hit the tree and tried desperately to get up. He just smirked as he reached a sitting position. He bit his thumb and did a summoning jutsu, resulting in a giant bear emerging. Gaara stared up at it. He was forced to bring out Shukkaku once again. He growled and put his hands together, allowing for a full possession. Shukkaku emerged and faced the bear. Gaara appeared on Shukkaku's forehead and glared at Mihara. It was bad that he had to resort to such things. Relying on Shukkaku. This was not good for either of them, nor for anyone in the proximity. Shoving aside his regrets, Gaara stared at the bear before him and Shukkaku. In order for the full Shukkaku to emerge, however, he had to perform the "Play Possum" jutsu. He would try to avoid this at all costs. Mihara grinned as he relaxed against the giant bear's snout. "Ready, Oromaru?" Mihara asked the giant bear beneath him. The bear nodded and smirked, flexing it's claws. Mihara nodded. "Good. Then...when you are ready," he said, leaning back, relaxing and trying to get his chakra back, as well as his energy.

With Shiruki and the others

Shiruki and Naruto charged at the "Anbu" clones, eliminating them one-by-one. Some Shiruki's were knocked out and some Naruto's picked up the slack. It came down to three apprentice clones and Shiruki caught a hint of where the original was. She looked to her right and didn't seen anything. She growled and forced her attention back to the task at hand, eliminating the apprentice duplicates. Naruto took care of the clone aimed at Shiruki and she snapped from her daze. "You alright?" Naruto asked as she stood back up. She nodded. She turned to the last remaining clone and Naruto charged at him. On the way, a fireball stopped him, eliminating the clone. Shiruki froze. Kunai and shuriken flew at her from the front and she used her sand to stop it and suck it in. Her back, however was left open to an attack. As Naruto fought off the last clone, Shiruki screamed in pain. She growled and held her shoulder. Naruto turned to face her and saw this, running to her side immediately. "Shiruki-"

"Guys!" Sasuke called from amidst all the chaos. They turned to him and saw him pointing east. They turned their faces to look and saw Shukkaku and a giant bear.

Shiruki's eyes widened. "Gaara," she whispered. She shook her head in disbelief and felt an overwhelming anger. Naruto rested his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, tearing away from Shukkaku's form and staring at the cerulean pools of the blond that held her. "Gaara must be in trouble, Naruto," she said seriously. She looked anxiously back at Shukkaku.

Naruto sighed heavily. He stood back up and turned to face the doppleganger apprentice. "Shiruki," Naruto called seriously, keeping his eyes on the clone. Shiruki looked at Naruto once again. "I want you to take Sasuke and go to Gaara." Shiruki was about to protest so Naruto intervened again. "Just do it. I won't allow my comrades to die." Naruto looked at Shiruki and saw hesitation and reluctance. He flashed her a signature grin and thumbs up. She smiled and nodded. "Don't worry. I'll be right there," he smiled. Shiruki nodded and gathered Sasuke up in her arms, leaning him against her with his arm draped around her shoulder. She looked at him and back at Naruto with concern. Naruto met her gaze and smiled. He gave her another thumbs up and she smiled again.

She leaped off and sighed as she ran to Gaara. She increased her pace and looked at Sasuke occasionally. Sasuke broke the sickening silence after a while. "It's just like when he faced Naruto," he said impassively. Shiruki looked at him curiously. He continued, seeing that he had her attention. "Shukkaku emerged...all the way. And he faced that toad..." he explained. He shook his head. "The apprentice...he's not back there with Naruto," he said impassively again. Shiruki glared at him. He averted his glance to in front of them and sighed. "I didn't sense his chakra at all. Sure there were clones...but..."

"That's enough, Sasuke," she growled. She sped up and made it to a tree a couple of feet away from Shukkaku and Oromaru. She set Sasuke down there for now. "Stay here," she snarled before leaping off again, not waiting for his response. The apprentice had no interest in him so he should be safe. She sped through the forest and came upon Shukkaku and Oromaru. She looked around for the highest tree. She found it and ran up it to get to Gaara. She climbed it swiftly and leaped off of it to get onto Shukkaku's body. She ran up Shukkaku's leg and made it to the torso within seconds. She continued upward to the arm, then finally, the head. She leaped on the head and ran to Gaara's side. She grabbed his shoulder and glared at Mihara who was smirking. Gaara looked bewildered. She smirked. "Miss me?" she teased.

Gaara turned his glare back to Mihara and Oromaru. "You shouldn't be here. Once I release Shukkaku, you-"

Shiruki scoffed. "Gaara, shut it. You will not release Shukkaku," she commanded. Gaara looked at her inquisitively. Who was she to command him? She glared at him. "You know what that does to you. Don't you dare," she growled angrily. She pressed her hands together after biting her thumb. She summoned Nikkaku the neko demon. She leaped off of Shukkaku and onto Nikkaku. The fur was black with red eyes and red streaks throughout the body. Her whole look was threatening. Shiruki landed gracefully on Nikkaku's forehead and grinned at Mihara. "Nikkaku...show time," she grinned. The neko beneath her hissed and reared up, charging at Oromaru.

Gaara stood motionless on Shukkaku. What nerve she had. Ordering him around and then doing what she told him not to do. This didn't sit well with the Kazekage. He pressed his hands together. "Play possum jutsu," he said lowly before slumping against Shukkaku, bringing the raccoon dog to life completely. Shukkaku grinned and snarled. "Free!" he laughed. He saw Oromaru and grinned at Nikkaku who was currently attacking Oromaru. "Move it, girl!" Shukkaku barked as he sucked in breath. "Air bullets!" he yelled, emitting multiple air bullets toward Oromaru and Nikkaku's unretreating form.

Nikkaku saw the bullets and quickly leaped above them, leaving Oromaru in the way of the bullets. She hissed at Shukkaku. "Oi! Bastard! What the hell?! You could have killed me!" she hissed louder. Shukkaku grinned and pretended not to hear her. She growled until Shiruki caught her attention. She fell on her knees on Nikkaku's forehead and Nikkaku growled again. "Get up, girl! I need you to weave those hand signs!" she hissed.

Shiruki stayed on her knees. It was then that Nikkaku realized that she had been hit in the chest by a kunai. She growled and hissed at Oromaru's master. She leaped at them and snarled. She opened her eyes wide and felt Shiruki's chakra drain. "Shiruki! Wake up!" she growled. Mid-leap, she disappeared, leaving Shiruki to free fall, unconscious.

Shukkaku saw this and used sand to catch her. He caught her gently and sighed heavily. He set her aside and saw Sasuke. He set her by him and rolled his eyes before returning to the fight between himself and Oromaru. The giant bear smirked. "Shukkaku has gone soft," he mocked.

Shukkaku growled and scoffed at the remark. "No. If that girl dies, my carrier will be pissed and never let me out again..." he growled, knowing that was not the true reason for saving her. She was Nikkaku's carrier. If she died, Nikkaku disappeared until she could find another suitor. He didn't want that. He glared at Oromaru. "Sand shuriken!" he growled as sand shuriken shot out at the bear. He nimbly dodged them and landed on all fours feet away from Shukkaku. He grinned and Shukkaku sucked in a breath. He spewed out sand toward Oromaru and it hit. Oromaru flew backward on the ground and Shukkaku stopped after a while, seeing the damage sufficient enough. Oromaru struggled to get up and Shukkaku grinned. "Now...what was that about being weak?" he threw back.

Oromaru growled. "Rain of fire!" he snarled as he tilted his head upward and shot out fireballs bigger than Sasuke's grand fireball. They rained down on Shukkaku and he extinguished them with his sand, preventing the forest from catching fire. He smirked. Oromaru snarled.

If distanced attacks wouldn't work, there was no choice left. They had to fight one-on-one, face-to-face. Shukkaku charged at Oromaru and dug his reinforced claws into the bear's torso. Oromaru snarled in pain and swiped at Shukkaku. Shukkaku nimbly dodged and charged at him again. He flung more sand shuriken at him and spit air bullets in a combination. Oromaru, dodging the sand shuriken, did not avoid the air bullets. The bullets impacted him with an explosion. Oromaru flew backward onto his back and grunted. Mihara coaxed him to get up swiftly. "Damn it, Oro. Get up! We can't afford for you to lay on your ass!" he growled, glaring at the incoming Shukkaku with an unconscious Gaara. "I have to wake him up..." he said quietly so only Oromaru heard. "Can you get close enough so I can jump off and wake up the Kazekage?" he asked the bear beneath him.

Oromaru growled as he tried desperately to get up. He struggled, but barely dodged Shukkaku's next attack. Shukkaku's claws collided with the dirt and Oromaru leaped backward. "I'll try...you better hurry though...I don't know how much longer I can last," he growled, awaiting Shukkaku's next attack. Sure enough, as if on cue, Shukkaku charged at him, claws bared. Oromaru growled as he braced himself to catch Shukkaku's wrists. Sure enough, he did. "Go, brat!" Oromaru barked.

Mihara nodded and leaped from the bear to the raccoon dog. He dashed to the sleeping Gaara and delivered a forceful punch to the boy's cheek, knocking both Gaara and himself off of Shukkaku. Oromaru grinned before disappearing in a poof. His work was done. Gaara was brought back to consciousness. Shukkaku disappeared as well as both men fell to the ground. Gaara caught himself on a branch, Mihara in front of him on another branch. "Heh. I see that you have reached your limit, Gaara," Mihara said through pants.

Gaara didn't respond. He had indeed reached his limits. Just when he fought Naruto. He growled at the mere thought of losing a battle. He couldn't lose to this Sand ninja. If he did, all his actions were to be in vain. "It seems, you have too," he said lowly.

Mihara grinned. "Agreed. Then...it seems we have to rely on stamina then." Gaara nodded in acceptance of that idea. In order to settle this, they had to do it via fist fight. Their kunai were lost, their shuriken distributed randomly nowhere around them, and their chakra nearly drained from the summoning jutsu they performed. Both men were relying merely on their stubbornness. Both refused to lose to the other. Mihara sighed. "Let's go, yeah?" he grinned. Gaara took a defensive stance. This was not going to be easy. Mihara dashed at said red head and threw a right hook at Gaara's cheek. Gaara blocked it, only to be skidding backward into the trunk of the tree. Seeing this, the young Kazekage leaped off the branch and onto the ground in a leveled out field, barren of any geographical deformities.

Gaara looked at the man before him. His thoughts drifted to Shiruki momentarily, giving him the strength he needed, and the resolve he needed, to hurry up and end this pointless battle. He had to get to Shiruki. He didn't trust Sasuke with her. Even though the apprentice was still out there, something didn't sit well with the Uchiha. Gaara, not waiting for Mihara to charge, ran at him instead. A change in plan. No matter what, he had to end this quickly. He delivered a forceful blow to Mihara's stomach, throwing the wind from him. Mihara coughed at the sudden loss of air and Gaara took the opportunity to attack again. He grabbed Mihara by the hair and slammed his face into his up-brought knee. Mihara stumbled backward with blood leaking from his nose. Gaara continued his onslaught of the Sound ninja and followed up with a kick to the ribs, a punch to the jaw, and another smash of his face into Gaara's knee. Mihara slumped onto his knees, coughing up blood and spitting it from his mouth. He glared at Gaara, his face broken and bloody. Gaara just glared back, ready to attack again. He quickly sent a kick to Mihara's chin, thrusting the beaten man upward. Gaara then appeared above him, delivering a skull-shattering axe kick to his head, slamming him back into the ground. Once Mihara hit the ground, Gaara hovered above him with a kunai he found dug into a tree not far from here. The kunai was pressed to his neck. "Last chance. Tell me who the apprentice is," Gaara growled. Mihara smirked and resigned. He had been defeated. And no matter what, he would die. His lips moved in the form of a name. Gaara's eyes widened and he was frozen with shock and betrayal.

TBC...

A/N: don't kill me for leaving it like that!!! I hada do it TT anyways...sorry for the belated update TT was really REALLY busy. You wouldn't believe me if I told you! Oi vey...anyways...next chapter should be up relatively soon...R&R


	31. Orochimaru's Apprentice Revealed

Disclaimer: for the gazillionth time...NARUTO IS NOT MINE

**Chapter 30: Orochimaru's Apprentice Revealed! Shiruki's Distress**

Shiruki regained consciousness by a campfire in a place she was not familiar with. She looked around, suddenly anxious and fearful of her surroundings. It was too secluded. How did she get here? And worse...who was with her? She looked around the cave she dwelt in and noticed a shadowy, half lit person near her on the other side of the fire. The person wore black and wore a Leaf village headband. An ally. She immediately calmed herself. As she looked on longer, she saw that the person was watching her with a smirk. "Don't act as if you don't know me," came a low voice.

Shiruki's eyes lit up as she sat up. In a flash, the man was next to her, pressing her back down on her back. Shiruki got confirmation of who she thought it to be. She let herself be laid back down and sighed when the man smirked at her like always. Never a smile. Always a frown or a smirk. Nothing more. Nothing less. She continued to look around though. "Sasuke? Where are we? Where's Gaara? And Naruto?" she asked, her eyes falling back on said "avenger."

Sasuke merely smirked in response. "You tried to fight Mihara and Oromaru, the fire bear. You were stabbed," he said, indicating the bandaged spot on her chest. She blushed at the fact that Sasuke saw her topless. Sasuke snickered at her shyness. Shiruki blushed even more and pulled the cover, which was her shirt and basically whole outfit further up her chest. She tried to duck under the covers to hide her embarrassment but to no avail. Sasuke grabbed her wrist and pinned it to the cave floor. Shiruki blushed and Sasuke stared down at her with lust-filled eyes. This wasn't good. "What's wrong, Shiruki? You act as if I committed some crime," he smirked.

Shiruki gulped and felt extremely uncomfortable. "S-Sasuke...what are you doing?" she asked, trying to hide her embarrassment. True she had a slight crush on the younger Uchiha. _Had_. Until she met Gaara. When she was younger, she would have only dreamed of this happening. She was snapped from her thoughts when Sasuke planted a soft, agonizingly sweet kiss on her jawline, trailing to her neck. Somehow, while she was lost in her thoughts, Sasuke had started to straddle her. She was thoroughly embarrassed. He knew she was with Gaara. So...why was he..."Sasuke!" she squeaked, her breath coming out in a mere raspy whisper. Sasuke looked at her, his face inches away from hers. The look he held wasn't one of love. But one of need and want. She could tell that this was just a spur of the moment thing. He didn't have feelings for her. This fact made it slightly easier to resist the mysterious, silent Uchiha. "You know I'm with Gaara. Get off," she said sternly, her voice full of warning and resolve.

Sasuke smirked. He shook his head and pinned her other wrist to the cave floor, pushing her chest forward and up, expressing her feminine features. Her face reddened even more. Sasuke stared at her antagonistically. "What do you see in him?" he asked, his voice layered with an urge that suggested he wanted to do more than just talk. He set to work again, nipping at her neck, gently at first, then gradually getting rougher and more needy.

Shiruki resisted the urge to moan. She bit her lip harshly, snapping her from her arousal. "I...I love him," she said carefully. "He-" she was cut off when Sasuke pressed his lips against hers, telling her that he wished to hear no more about Gaara. She tried to get away from him, but it was no use. He was too strong, and she was too exhausted. She had to try. She would not betray Gaara. But at the same time, she was too aroused to care. She instantly snapped herself out of her arousal when she felt Sasuke's tongue probing her lips, demanding entrance. She refused and kept her lips sealed. She glared at him, seeing him staring back at her with a look she didn't recognize. She felt his hand leave a wrist as he grabbed her breast. She gasped and Sasuke took advantage, plunging his tongue deep into her mouth, exploring her warmth. She didn't kiss back. She realized that she suddenly couldn't move. Her eyes widened as Sasuke let up and she was frozen. Her body wouldn't move. She glared up at him. "What...did...you do?" she said, struggling to move.

Sasuke grinned. "Sound ninja hidden specialty. Paralysis potion," he grinned. He started to disrobe himself as Shiruki watched in horror. He wasn't doing this. He couldn't be. Why was he forcing himself on her? What did she do-

Her eyes widened in realization. Tears of anger and sadness flooded the corners of her eyes. "You're...Orochimaru's...apprentice!" she said in a hushed whisper. Sasuke just laughed. She didn't find it amusing in the least. She glared at him as tears fell rapidly. "Why?" she asked, closing her eyes and looking up at the ceiling.

Sasuke grinned. "Why?" he repeated. He saw that Shiruki didn't have the energy to speak, much less argue. He grinned at this. He had her right where he wanted her. "Orochimaru...he's been training me. He taught me how to control the curse mark," he grinned. Shiruki didn't bother to look at him. She couldn't. He continued. "Itachi did teach me something, now that I think about it...I didn't have enough hate. That was why I was never able to beat him," he smirked. "Now, however...I do. And...on top of that, I outrank all of the Sound ninja," he grinned.

Shiruki barely shook her head. "Why...did you betray..." she started but her voice gave out. She didn't have enough energy to force her voice out anymore. The paralysis potion had spread and was surely fast acting considering he forced it down her throat a mere two minutes ago.

"Oh...why did I betray Konoha?" he asked. That was definitely her question. He snickered before continuing to disrobe himself. "Well...I suppose...it's because of Naruto...you already know I was never able to beat him either..." he explained. That was the only reason?! To be able to defeat Naruto!? Sasuke continued as he lowered himself on top of her. As he nipped at her neck, he explained. "Also...I wanted more power. But you'd never understand my reasoning. And technically, it doesn't matter. We need Kyuubi...Shukkaku...and Nikkaku..." he said, accenting each demon with a nip and suckle to her neck and collarbone. She shuddered. "So that Sound village will be superior and feared...by all of the surrounding villages," he finished. He ran his hands over her body, groping and grabbing at places she promised Gaara were only for him.

Gaara. His face floated in her head. Maybe if she pictured him, it would help a little. She tried to do just that. Sadly, she knew Gaara wouldn't be this rough with her. She was basically being tortured by the sheer force at which he was grabbing and twisting her feminine parts. Her breasts felt extremely soft and sensitive. It was not pleasurable pain that Gaara brought. Instead, it was just pain. _'Gaara...'_ she cried out in her mind. She felt the rest of her clothes being removed, leaving her naked and exposed.

Sasuke saw the tattoo of love tattooed on her hip. He wrinkled his nose at it. "You let that monster defile you?" he growled. Shiruki winced slightly at how harshly he bit down on the skin. He bit the tattoo roughly, no doubt leaving a bruise. She whimpered a little in pain and Sasuke bit her breast rather harshly. Tears flowed from her eyes as Sasuke, the one she considered family, the one that stuck up for her when Sakura and Ino were after her, continued to defile her.

Without a second thought about hurting her, Sasuke plunged his erect member into her sex. She whimpered at the pain as he thrust wildly into her, not caring about her pain. "Shiruki...so tight..." he growled animalistically, increasing his speed. Shiruki felt horrible. She was being raped. She was betraying Gaara. Right when she got everything back on track with him, this happens. Tears spilled over uncontrollably as Sasuke's thrusts became harder and faster. He gripped her hips tightly, grabbing at her flesh harshly. She winced with every grab and bite. He bit her neck where it combined with her shoulder and she let a whimper escape her lips. Blood dripped from her neck as Sasuke lapped at it. He bit the other side, matching the previous bite mark. She winced again while Sasuke smirked. Let Gaara see these marks and a naked Shiruki. That way he could fight him later with no holds barred. The thought pushed Sasuke further. An idea occurred to him. He looked down at Shiruki and saw her pathetic form. What if he made her pregnant? Sasuke grinned at the idea. Shiruki looked up at him pathetically, tears falling rapidly. A slight blush on her cheeks. At that instant, he felt a pang of guilt. He stopped mid thrust to look at her. He disregarded that last thought. He didn't want kids. And not to mention...they'd find some way of getting rid of it. But still...

Sasuke observed Shiruki looking at him with pleading eyes. He brought his hand up to cup her cheek. As he did so, Shiruki flinched at his touch. He wiped away the tears in her eyes and Shiruki looked at him, more tears taking their place. "You're beautiful even when you cry," he said unintentionally. Shiruki's eyes widened a little at this statement. Sasuke caught what he said and blushed. Shiruki averted her glance, a look of mental anguish on her face. Sasuke continued his ministrations, thrusting with more power and aggressiveness.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gaara sped through the forest, trying desperately to find Shiruki. Shukkaku wasn't helping any. He had gone back into the quiet recesses of his mind, resting, Gaara supposed. The Kazekage sped through the forest trying desperately to find any trail of Shiruki and the apprentice's trails. "That bastard," he cursed. He sensed someone behind him and glanced to see a beaten up and battered Naruto closing in. He didn't slow his pace, but increased it, knowing the Leaf-nin could keep up easily.

Naruto took his place beside Gaara, running alongside him. "Gaara...where's Shiruki?" he asked, following the troubled Kazekage. Naruto glanced at him and saw an angered, no...pissed expression on his face. Naruto's eyes widened.

"With Uchiha," he ground out. _'And when I find him...he is dead!'_ he added mentally.

Naruto remained quiet for a moment. "Then...what's the problem?" he asked as they ran faster.

Gaara's face only contorted with more anger. He had to calm himself before answering the blond Anbu member. "Uchiha...is the apprentice, Uzumaki," he growled, speeding off faster than Naruto, leaving the blond shocked and literally floored. He didn't care that Naruto was facing an internal battle with himself. Sasuke, his team member for Kame knows how long, was the apprentice. Orochimaru's apprentice! The one they had to hunt down and kill. Sasuke! The same Uchiha that had befriended him. The same Uchiha that had ran off before only to be brought back by Naruto, Shikamaru, Neji, Choji, and Kiba. Gaara didn't care. All he cared about was Shiruki's safety. And she was anything _but_ safe with him. All he knew...was that they had to find them. And fast.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Shiruki lay on the cold cave floor, crying to her hearts content. She had betrayed Gaara. Though the paralysis potion had worn off, she couldn't bring herself to even get dressed, much less do anything else. Sasuke looked at her as he put his clothes back on. He grinned and felt much more satisfied with himself. He started to leave when he suddenly collided with the cave floor on his back with a naked Shiruki on top of him with a kunai pressed dangerously to his neck. Shiruki's tears soaked his shirt. He brought his hands up to her hips and grabbed them firmly. She winced a little at the pain, her tear-streaked cheeks shimmering in the moonlight outside. "Teme..." she whispered through tears as she glared down at him.

Sasuke grinned. She often called him that. It was no surprise she used that name now. He leaned his head back in arrogance. "Up for round two so early, Shiru?" he asked tauntingly with a snicker. Shiruki responded by pressing the kunai harder into his throat. He leaned his head back a little and glanced down at the kunai. He looked back at her and smirked. "Guess not," he mused. His expression turned sour. "If you're going to kill me, then don't hesitate," he instigated. Shiruki hesitated as she looked down at him with sadness and weakness. She was so vulnerable at this moment. She couldn't kill him. She knew it. He knew it. He grabbed her wrist and pressed it into his skin, drawing blood. She gasped and he smirked. "You see...I'm not scared of dying. Because, you see...Orochimaru's jutsu will not let me," he grinned.

"Immortality jutsu," she gasped. Sasuke nodded and sat up on his elbows. Shiruki stared at him with fear. She shook her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. She flung her arms around his neck, forcing him back on his back. "Sasuke-kun," she cried.

Sasuke was taken aback. He had just had his way with her and now she was clinging to him like some kind of child. He looked down at her and a jolt of anger rushed through him. He grabbed her by the neck and slammed her into the wall. He raised her up about five inches off the ground by her neck and she desperately tried to claw and pry his hand off. She struggled to breathe. She kicked but they were futile. She cried as she struggled, feeling her energy slip away. She started to cry and slip out of consciousness. "Don't ever call me that again," he growled, raising her higher, her back being cut by the sharp rocks of the wall. "Nikkaku will be mine-"

"Shiruki!" a familiar knuckle-headed ninja called. Sasuke growled and looked back to Shiruki. He grinned. Show time. This was all too perfect timing. His vision wandered back to Shiruki and he smirked. It was only a matter of time. A naked Shiruki...a bruised Shiruki...a mangled Shiruki...Shiruki's blood...and, to top it all off, Sasuke strangling a naked, battered, bloody, bruised Shiruki. All too perfect. The voice called again.

Sasuke's attention wavered and wandered to the mouth of the barely lit cave. Blond hair and red hair were swiftly approaching. He turned his attention back to Shiruki and saw a pleading look in her eyes. He faltered for a moment. He stared at her and noticed she was pleading with him to stop and go back to the way things used to be. That is, until his hold on her neck tightened, forcing her into the same unconsciousness she had been fighting. He smirked. Naruto and Gaara were finally here. A loud, shocked gasp emitted from the cave entrance, along with a snarl. Sasuke didn't have to turn to see who had released the sounds. The gasp came from Naruto and the snarl came from Gaara. It was no mistake. He glanced at them and saw Gaara looking over the present situation. "What have you done!?" Naruto growled. "Sasuke, what'd you do!?" he asked desperately, refusing to believe his eyes. "How could you do this!?"

Sasuke snickered at the question. He released his hold on Shiruki, causing her limp body to fall lazily to the ground on her side. Gaara did not hesitate to run to her side. Sasuke just flipped backward arrogantly. He gave Gaara a cynical look and scoffed. "Just so you know...she's not too lively during sex," he said in a bored tone.

Gaara's eyes widened. Naruto's did too, except in a different way. Naruto's was more of a shock and "how could you" look. Whereas Gaara's was more of a "you sick son of a bitch I'm going to kill you" look. Standing, holding Shiruki against him, he growled at Sasuke. "Uzumaki...take Shiruki back to Konoha," he ordered with as much patience and restraint as he could muster. Naruto complied, not wishing to further piss the Kazekage sand ninja off. He took Shiruki, wrapping her in his shirt, and ran out of the cave toward Konoha. Gaara growled at Sasuke, his eyes holding a murderous look. "Uchiha..." he growled.

Sasuke smirked. "You suspected me all along. But tell me...why?" he inquired, not really caring, seeing as how the Kazekage's suspicions were correct.

Gaara breathed deeply, trying to resist the urge to kill him right then and there. He had taken what was his. He had raped Shiruki. He had defiled her. What's worse, his scent, his bite marks, and his touch was all over her. One thing right after another to send the young red head over the edge and onto a nonstop killing spree. "I never trusted you," he said simply through clenched teeth.

Sasuke smirked at this. "Figures. Because I never trusted you either." With that, Gaara's sand shot out toward the last Uchiha. Sasuke dodged, using his taijutsu combined with his Sharingan. It would be another Chunnin exam incident if he were not careful. But, that would be to Gaara's advantage. He had easily defeated Sasuke. And he would have surely killed him if not for that pesky Naruto Uzumaki. How he loathed Naruto for stepping in at this moment. If he would have simply let Gaara kill Sasuke earlier, they wouldn't be going through this now. How bothersome. Sasuke prepared his fireball jutsu and Gaara's sand shot up instinctively as it barreled toward him, nullifying it and extinguishing it. Sasuke was out of his element. The only jutsu that Sasuke had in his arsenal, that Gaara knew of, was the Chidori. And that had done exponential damage to the red head. Gaara remembered the pain he had felt from that simple blow. The jutsu he was not aware of, however, was which ones Orochimaru had taught him. Forbidden, secret, normal...he was not sure. All that was certain, was that this was going to be an all out war. It came down to the ultimate battle:

Sand vs Sound/Former Leaf.

TBC...

A/N: yep. There's 30...Oi vey...headache...cram session...x.x Try writing when you have absolutely no idea of what to write...and then have to make it relevant to the story...Oi vey...


	32. Kazekage vs Apprentice! Final Showdown

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine...

**Chapter 31: Kazekage vs Apprentice! The Final Showdown**

Sasuke continued to survey Gaara. He was so still. So tense. So stiff. He grinned. "Since when was Sabaku no Gaara ever tense?" he mocked. Gaara glared at him and saw this to be true. He was tense. Tense beyond all comparison. He didn't even realize he was thinking too hard. It had caused him to let down his physical awareness barrier that he worked so hard to always keep up. So, then, why did he let it down? Sasuke started snickering as he looked on at Gaara. The play of emotions across the red head's face was rather amusing. "Geez, Gaara...loosen up!" he teased. In a swift second, a kunai was hurled toward Gaara without his knowledge. He barely dodged it. He drifted to the left and avoided it, the tip skimming his cheek. Gaara growled low at Sasuke to find that he wasn't where he was. Gaara's eyes widened. How had he missed that? How had he been so out of tune with his surroundings that Sasuke had enough time to disappear from sight, and on top of that, land a hit with a kunai on his cheek? Gaara angrily swiped the blood off his cheek, clearly angry with himself. He looked around for Sasuke. Sand shot up behind him. Gaara stood motionless. Knowing Sasuke, he would repeat what he did at the Chunnin exams. He stood and waited. Sand shot up in front of him as Sasuke threw a punch, stopping mid-punch, whirling around behind Gaara, past his sand and tried to deliver a kick.

Gaara, ready for this action, knowing it all too well, grabbed his ankle and swung him away and into the wall of the cave, earning a strangled gasp and howl in pain from the Uchiha. Gaara smirked. "Seriously, Uchiha. Be more original," he patronized.

Sasuke growled. He stood weakly and glared at Gaara. "Don't patronize me," he growled as he disappeared again. Taijutsu at its finest. Gaara cursed it. His eyes tried to follow Sasuke's movements. As soon as Sasuke realized he caught onto his movements, he switched. Gaara growled at himself. He was getting frustrated. He tried to remain calm. He knew all too well what happened when emotions dictated battles. You always lost. "What's wrong? Kazekage-sama can't keep up?" he mocked, spinning in circles around Gaara just as in the Chunnin exams. If Gaara was lucky this would be a repeat in the forest before Naruto interrupted. He didn't doubt that circumstances would change very quickly, however. Sasuke indeed has gotten full control over his Sharingan. And on top of that, he had exceptionally high speed as well. Much faster than before. Gaara had issues keeping up with him before but this was ridiculous.

Gaara drifted from his thoughts as sand shot up to the right, the left, the right again, the back, and finally, the front. He too has gotten faster. He heard a snarl behind him and shot sand backward, only a little. Sasuke smirked. While the sand was preoccupied with his clone, Sasuke attacked the front. Gaara smirked unexpectedly. Sasuke didn't hesitate to notice this. He kept up his attack and came within an inch of Gaara's face, only to have his wrist grabbed and his chest slammed into the ground below them. Sasuke growled in pain. He noticed the sand extension had been a distraction. Gaara grinned sadistically. His sadist side was coming out again. "What's wrong? You act as if you are surprised, Uchiha," he mocked. Sasuke growled at him. Gaara laughed sinisterly. This laugh always made Sasuke uneasy. He glared up at Gaara over his abused shoulder. Gaara glared down at him. "In case you are suspecting...yes. I did use the sand to distract you. Apparently, you have not decided upon any new battle tactics," he continued to criticize. Sasuke growled and glared at the Kazekage with a look that could kill. Gaara found this pleasurable. "I see...you are hating me now," he smirked. He twisted Sasuke's wrist, causing a loud pop to be emitted from Sasuke's shoulder. He hissed in pain. Gaara smirked.

Sasuke then proceeded to slash at Gaara's arm with a kunai. Of course, he missed because of the sand. Gaara emitted an unpleasant snort and glared down at him. Sasuke saw him losing control like before. Gaara's right eye had Shukkaku's amber color to it. Sasuke's eyes widened. He was enjoying this! "You sick bastard!" he growled. Gaara just growled.

"No. I wish to make you feel everything Shiruki felt when you violated her." Sasuke's eyes got wide and he had a disgusted look on his face. "Not that way, Uchiha," he growled as he applied more pressure to Sasuke's wrist, earning a snap this time. Sasuke, not being able to mask the pain, growled and yelped out.

Gaara's growling stopped abruptly. Sasuke looked up to see the intrusion. Naruto had a hand on Gaara's shoulder, pleading with him to stop. Shiruki was now donning Naruto's shirt and begging as well with tears. Sasuke took the opportunity to punch Gaara's jaw and get him off of him. He stood to his face and retreated to the darkness of the cave.

Gaara growled and glared toward the darkness, searching desperately for Sasuke. He turned back to Shiruki and Naruto and his voice became dangerous. "You better have a good reason to interrupt," he growled, half Shukkaku, half normal.

Shiruki glared at him through her tears. She took him by the shoulders and shook him lightly. "You promised!" she growled. Gaara just looked at her. All was fine. He was starting to calm down...until he saw the bite mark Sasuke inflicted. His eyes met hers, stern as ever. "Some promises are meant to be broken," he said simply with a hint of a growl and underlying regret.

Shiruki's eyes widened. Her grip on him loosened. Her hands dropped, as did her head and Gaara stared for a minute. Her head shot up and her love was replaced with hate and betrayal. She slapped Gaara's cheek sharply. Instantly, he woke up from the half possession. He looked at her and touched his cheek gingerly. No doubt there was a red hand print. He looked at her with visible shock and bewilderment. Shiruki's tears fell faster as she looked at him. Her hands were clenched into fists. "Teme!" she growled. "How dare you say that!" she cried angrily. Gaara just stood there. His brows knitted together in understanding. He truly said that he broke his promise. His eyes returned to normal size and he sighed quietly. He dropped his hand and looked at Naruto to see sympathy. He mentally snarled at that. He returned to Shiruki and put his hands on her shoulders. Well, tried to. Shiruki slapped them away. Gaara felt hurt and anger wash over him. He grabbed her roughly and kissed her. She cried and struggled against him.

Naruto's eyes widened. He knew why she was fighting. She wasn't in her current mind that Gaara was kissing her and not Sasuke. He quickly stepped in and wrenched Shiruki away from Gaara. "Gaara, stop! She's still reliving Sasuke!" he cried out as Shiruki cried into his chest.

Gaara's eyes widened. He looked at his broken lover and felt guilt wash over him. He looked at Shiruki and tried a different approach. "Shiruki," he said quietly. Shiruki reluctantly looked up at him, still hiding close to Naruto. She was shaking violently. From anger or from fear, it was not certain. Gaara held his hand out for her to take it, palm up. Shiruki looked at it and then back at him. She saw a sense of apology in his eyes. It was a sincere look. She hesitantly took it and Gaara gently and easily pulled her to him. Their bodies were not touching, but they were close enough. She looked down and felt more tears coming. Gaara slipped his hand under her chin and softly lifted it, careful as if she would break. She gave in and looked up at him. Gaara kissed her forehead after he was certain she saw that it was him and not the damned Uchiha. Shiruki wrapped her arms around Gaara's neck and hugged him tight. Naruto smiled. Gaara kept his senses aware and looked behind him. He was anxious to kill Sasuke. But now, he had to comfort Shiruki for a little bit. "Uzumaki...go to Sasuke. Don't let him out of your sight," he ordered, holding Shiruki close, whispering words of comfort into her ears. Naruto nodded and dashed off into the darkness. Gaara returned his sight to Shiruki. "I'm sorry..." he whispered. It was rather choked because he was not used to apologizing to anyone. But it was said, nonetheless.

Shiruki shook her head and quieted down. "No...I should be apologizing. I...hit you..." she said with difficulty.

Gaara snickered and rubbed his cheek. "Yeah...that kind of hurt..." Shiruki looked up at him. She stared in disbelief. She had assaulted him and he was laughing? "You hit pretty hard," he offered, trying to make her smile. It worked. Shiruki started to giggle quietly and she kissed him. Gaara leaned into the kiss and held her protectively. "I won't let anything else happen to you," he whispered possessively. Shiruki nodded. Gaara opened his mouth to say something else but he heard Naruto's scream. His eyes widened. He quickly picked her up and ran toward the scream. He saw Naruto against the wall, pinned by one of Sasuke's overgrown shuriken. His shoulder was bleeding rather badly. He scanned the area for Sasuke. No luck. He ran to Naruto's side, Shiruki still draped over his shoulder facing behind them. "What happened?" he asked, worried.

Naruto just breathed irregularly. Shiruki started to squirm. "Gaara...that's not Naruto," she said lowly. Gaara looked back at her and then back at "Naruto" to see him smirking arrogantly resembling a certain Uchiha. Gaara's eyes widened. A kunai was now protruding from his stomach. Shiruki screamed as Gaara's grip on her loosened and he slumped against the wall. Shiruki fell off and looked at the sight. Naruto...er...Sasuke had stabbed Gaara in the stomach, dangerously close to a vital organ. Her eyes widened in horror as Gaara fell to the ground, his body lifeless and showing no signs of movement. The transformation jutsu faded and Sasuke stood victoriously. He stared at Shiruki, who, at this time, was now crawling backward in horror.

Sasuke advanced. He grinned. "What's wrong, Shiru?" he smirked. Shiruki shook her head in disbelief. Gaara couldn't be dead. He couldn't be! It was impossible. Tears started to stream down her face again. She backed up into the wall of the cave and pressed her body as close as she could against it, trying desperately to escape Sasuke. It was no use. Sasuke had knelt in front of her, ogling her as before. He outstretched a hand to touch her and she flinched with a whimper.

Suddenly, his movements stopped. Shiruki cracked an eyelid open and saw wide eyes staring at nothing in particular. She turned her head to look at him completely. Behind him, a figure stood indignantly with a scowl on his lips. She couldn't make out who it was due to her tears, but she knew it was either Naruto or Gaara. Sasuke growled and whipped around in time to throw the being against the wall roughly. Naruto. Gaara wouldn't be handled like that. Sasuke, turning his back on Shiruki, got up to go over to a now discombobulated Naruto. Shiruki took the opportunity to stand bravely and grab ahold of the protruding kunai. She thrust it deeper into Sasuke's back desperately. He yelped out in pain and snarled at her. He whipped around and backhanded her roughly into the wall, striking her head on a sharp protruding rock, knocking her out with minimal blood. She lay on the cave floor bleeding profusely.

Sasuke glared at her and yanked the kunai from his back, tossing it on the ground next to her lifeless body. He turned his attention back to Naruto who had gotten up and now standing in front of him, fist drawn backward. He let the punch fly as hard as he could and missed as Sasuke dodged to be behind him. Naruto froze. Sasuke felt someone behind him as well. He froze and turned slowly as Naruto turned to look back at Sasuke to see Gaara looming darkly behind Sasuke. The look on his face was a murderous one. Filled with limitless anger and rage. Hatred was prominent as he glared down at Sasuke. His icy blue eyes looked threatening, promising much pain and torture. Sasuke turned on him and threw a punch. Sand shot up and grabbed him by the wrist, gripping roughly enough to shatter bones. Sasuke growled and kicked at Gaara, releasing himself from the sand and leaping backward. Gaara merely growled and sent his sand after him. He controlled the movements and glared at him. Sasuke dodged and shot fireballs at the sand and at Gaara only to be stopped. He stopped and landed on the ground, glaring at the sand coming toward him. He smirked as the sand hit the ground as he jumped out of the way in time. He quickly did hand signs and glared at Gaara before holding his wrist, gathering chakra into his palm. A chirping sounded and Gaara showed no signs of being worried. After all, Sasuke could only do two. What was the worry. Now, if he could do three, Gaara was in some serious trouble. But, hopefully luck was on his side. Sasuke smirked. He saw Gaara's underlying worry for the limit on the Chidori. Once all the chakra was gathered, he swung it backward to get ready to attack. He ran at Gaara full speed and Gaara put up a sand barrier in time. Sasuke pierced through it and a couple of seconds went by with Sasuke smirking. No doubt he had hit something. Question was...what?

Suddenly, Gaara screamed out in pain. He stumbled backward and held his left shoulder. Just as the Chunnin exams. He growled ferociously at the Uchiha. Gaara's body showed signs of giving up on him but his mental state refused it. He remained standing. Sweat beaded on the Kazekage's forehead and Sasuke smirked. He performed hand signs for the fireball jutsu and put the ring he made with his fingers to his lips. He smirked. "Fire style: Fireball jutsu!" he said, exhaling, fire streaming toward Gaara.

The sand shot up again while Gaara recovered. Sasuke smirked at this seeing that he injured Gaara just as before. What was so unusual though...was his recovery rate. It seems to be faster than before. Sasuke growled at this. By the time Sasuke hit the ground, Gaara was recovered from the could-be-fatal Chidori attack. Sasuke smirked. Gaara glared. Naruto regained consciousness and looked around to see Gaara fighting Sasuke. His thoughts automatically drifted to Shiruki. He looked around for her and saw her slumped against the ground in a puddle of blood. He ran to her, avoiding getting in the way of Gaara and Sasuke, valuing his life. He made it to her side and picked her up gently, feeling a wetness under his left hand under her head. He pulled it away to look at it still holding her. He gasped. He looked back at Gaara and saw an apologetic glance shot his and Shiruki's way. It was clear he was apologizing for letting this happen. Naruto nodded and picked Shiruki up, fleeing from the cave to get Shiruki medical attention.

Gaara, seeing that Naruto and Shiruki were both safe and out of harm's way, started to get serious to fight the Uchiha traitor. Sand shot from the gourd on his back and hissed with movement. He was getting down to business. Sasuke too noticed the seriousness of Gaara's stance. He was merely holding back to avoid hurting Naruto and Shiruki. Now, however, was different. He was now at full power and was willing to do anything to kill him for what he did to his loved ones. Sasuke understood but could not allow this to happen. He smirked at Gaara. He prepared for another Chidori while Gaara took necessary precautions to guard himself. He allowed Shukkaku to partially possess him. It was the only way he knew he could defend himself without shedding his own blood. So why not?

Sasuke ran at Gaara with Chidori ready. Gaara ran at the traitor as well, possessed arm (er...claw) ready and bared. The two clashed and they landed with their backs faced toward the other. Gaara's possessed arm started to disperse, sand leaking off of him and to the ground. He looked over his shoulder at the Uchiha, who was currently forcing another Chidori. His eyes widened. He could do three. Sasuke turned to look at Gaara and saw the momentary shock. He smirked. The Chidori was fully ready and Sasuke crouched to get ready to charge at him. Gaara quickly imprisoned himself in his ultimate defense shield. He growled low at himself. How could he have been so careless to have underestimated the enemy? This was not like him. He must have been so worried about Shiruki that he forgot. Which was another thing that was not like the cold Kazekage. He was snapped from his thoughts as he heard Sasuke.

"Ahhhh...Chidori!" he yelled as he thrust the ball of chirping chakra into the ultimate defense. Gaara ducked in time to dodge it. He sat on the ground, staring up at the dispersing chakra. He avoided it. He almost let out a sigh. He grabbed ahold of Sasuke's arm and yanked him against the ultimate defense, the defensive spikes lunging out to pierce right though him. A strangled scream was heard and Gaara smirked. He opened the shield a little to see Sasuke. Blood trickled from his lips and a far away look was in his eyes. He was dying. He looked at Gaara and smirked weakly. Gaara glared. "I will not die..." he said with a laugh. Gaara remained silent. "Immortality jutsu," he explained into a whisper as he slumped down in his own pool of blood.

Gaara glared down at his unconscious form. Shiruki knew the reverse of the Immortality jutsu. She could break it. He had to either find them or bring Sasuke to them. Neither was favorable. Gaara grudgingly picked up Sasuke and made his way to the others.

Naruto ran as fast as he could back to Konoha. He rushed to Tsunade's office and saw that she was alright. He burst through the door and Tsunade jumped. Her eyes landed on Shiruki and they widened. She shot up off the chair as she saw Shiruki's blood dripping onto the floor. This was bad. She took Shiruki from Naruto and laid her on the desk. She started to heal her quickly. "What happened!?" she growled.

Naruto looked uneasy. He sighed and clenched his fists. "Sasuke..." he said simply. Tsunade's eyes widened as she slowly looked at Naruto. A small "what did you say?" left her lips. Naruto nodded and looked at Tsunade seriously. "Sasuke was the apprentice," he said, barely above a whisper.

Tsunade growled and finished the healing process. She looked at Shiruki and set her on a couch in her office. She grabbed Naruto by the arm and led him out of her office, quietly shutting the door behind her to not wake Shiruki. She looked at Naruto expectantly. "Explain."

Naruto sighed and told her the whole story of the rape, the betrayal, and Gaara fighting him. Tsunade's fist clenched angrily at her sides as she listened on. Naruto looked at her sadly. "He was my friend..." he said simply.

"You should have known when he went off with the Sound Five," Gaara said as he stepped forward, a bloody Sasuke on his shoulder. Tsunade and Naruto turned to him and stared. "Shiruki needs to cancel the Immortality Jutsu. Otherwise, this will never be over," he said simply.

Tsunade sighed and took Sasuke from him. "I'll do it," she sighed. She started the jutsu as Gaara set him on the floor.

Naruto looked away and went in the office with Shiruki. It had to be done. He went over to Shiruki and sat near her on the floor, head in arms on the couch. He watched her sleep and a thought came to him. His eyes widened. "Gaara!" he called urgently. Not a minute later, Gaara walked through the door. He walked over to Naruto. "That jutsu!" he said. Gaara must have caught on because he started the Demon Sealing jutsu. He pressed his fingers to Shiruki's right shoulder and Naruto emitted a sigh of relief. Gaara stayed and looked at Shiruki's sleeping form. "Is he..." Naruto whispered.

Gaara remained silent. He glanced at Naruto and sat next to him, facing Shiruki. His gourd was set at the foot of the couch behind him as he looked at Shiruki. He took her hand in his and remained silent. He held it gently and went over the days events. He was exhausted, but he could not sleep. In order to sleep, Shiruki had to be awake. He sighed lightly and Naruto looked at him. "He is," Gaara finally answered.

Naruto lowered his head and sighed. "Figured...I'll leave you with Shiruki...let me know when she wakes up, alright?" he asked. Gaara nodded and Naruto got up to leave.

Gaara sat there in silence, not making any move to get up or move. How could this have happened? The Leaf Village was falling apart. It was definitely in Shiruki's best interest to come back to Suna. But then again, it would also be in her best interest to stay and reconstruct Konoha and get it back up on its feet. Gaara, however, couldn't stay. He had duties as a Kazekage to fulfill. He couldn't abandon his village so easily. His mind was waging war against itself. Something that never happened. Why was love so complicated?

TBC

A/N: there's chapter 31! It won't be much longer til I end it...probably be about another 3 chapters then an epilogue...I dunno yet...XD and besides, theres not too much further I can take it without it ruining my ideas for another story. Anyways. R&R tell me what ya think so far! Questions...concerns...comments...all are welcome. Just don't flame me...I tend to get rather...bitchy at that. Ja ne


	33. Calming Down and Settling Down

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine...

**Chapter 32: Calming Down and Settling Down**

It had been a week and Shiruki had just now awoken from her comatose like state. Gaara had not left her side and Naruto frequently popped in Shiruki's home. Gaara dispelled the Demon Sealing jutsu and leaned closer to brush the hair from her face. She smiled tiredly at him and held her hand up, Gaara taking it in recognition. She smiled sleepily at him and tried to sit up. Gaara helped her, resting his hand between her shoulder blades, and pushed her up. She brought her free hand to her forehead and rubbed it. "How long have I been out?" she asked, her voice groggy with sleep.

Gaara sighed. "A week," he said simply. "Tsunade said it'd be longer." He smirked at himself. Always underestimating her. "Uzumaki stopped by earlier. Konohamaru did too," he informed her.

Shiruki looked at Gaara and smiled, now fully awake. "They always worry about me," she giggled lightly. Gaara nodded. He took his place beside her on the bed and she leaned into him, her head resting softly on his shoulder. Gaara wrapped his arm around Shiruki protectively and she sighed contently. "What about you?" she asked. "How long have you been here?" she asked, looking up at him. The look was one of those "do you really need to ask me that?" looks. Shiruki giggled and kissed him softly. "The whole time," she stated, understanding completely what that look implied. Gaara nodded. She smiled. "Gaara-"

She was cut off when a loud slam of the door opening to her bedroom sounded. Shiruki jumped and clung to Gaara feebly. Her eyes landed on the hyperactive blond and an equally hyper brunette, slightly shorter. Naruto and Konohamaru smiled happily at Shiruki. They leaped on the bed and glomped her, sending her on her back and Gaara on the floor. "Shiru-chan!" they both screamed as they nuzzled their idol.

Shiruki looked at Gaara and saw him rather pissed. He was rubbing his head, gathering that he had hit his head on the wall, where he currently sat. She smiled apologetically. He shrugged it off and her attention wandered back to the blond and brunette currently occupying her personal space. Naruto planted a kiss on Shiruki's cheek and Shiruki blushed. She giggled nervously and Konohamaru followed suit with a kiss of his own. Naruto and Konohamaru then started to kiss her cheeks at the same time. She squirmed a little and looked to Gaara for help, who was just sitting there with his arms crossed, not particularly paying any attention. She sighed and looked back at the two boys nuzzling her. "Um...guys? Personal bubble," she giggled.

Naruto and Konohamaru looked at each other over her head and smiled. They reluctantly let go and helped her back up. "Sorry, Shiru-chan!" Naruto laughed. "We just missed you," he said happily with a slight pinkish blush.

Konohamaru nodded. "That's right! We were here every day!" he said proudly.

Shiruki raised a brow at them. When she saw it to be true, she smiled tenderly at them, taking them both into a hug. "I love you guys," she whispered as she kissed their cheeks softly. Naruto and Konohamaru both blushed and hugged her back.

Gaara almost felt left out until Naruto looked at him with a grin and an apologetic, yet relieved sigh. He mouthed the words "glad she's alright" to him and Gaara nodded silently. Shiruki pulled away and felt a pain in her ribs. She hunched over and her breathing became labored. Gaara stood and was instantly at her side. He looked at where she was grabbing and saw the bruise Sasuke inflicted. He frowned and gently caressed it. Naruto and Konohamaru got off the bed with apologies and bows. Shiruki giggled a little, her breathing coming in short pants. "It's alright, guys..." she said through her panting. "You didn't know," she smiled reassuringly. They nodded in unison and watched on in worry. She looked at Gaara and smiled softly. "Sorry," she whispered.

Gaara rolled his eyes, uncharacteristically, and looked back at Naruto and Konohamaru. They caught the hint and nodded. "Hey, Shiruki. Whenever you're feeling better, we're gonna do something. All of Konoha was waiting for you to get up," Naruto smiled. Shiruki nodded and Naruto waved and dragged Konohamaru with him out the room.

Gaara turned back to Shiruki and saw her looking down at her bruised ribs. A frown graced her delicate face. The bandages around her head made her look battle worn. He sighed inwardly. Normally Nikkaku would have healed her already. But this time, she was being held back. Shiruki refused help. She wanted to heal on her own to give Nikkaku a break. Nikkaku reluctantly agreed, warning her of the inevitable pain to come, but Shiruki insisted. Bringing us to now. Her ribs were swollen and bruised. Luckily none were cracked. Her head still had the gash from the rock, her lip still was split, and her nether regions were still on fire. Gaara felt horrible. Shiruki must have noticed it because she kissed his neck softly. "I'm alright. Stop worrying," she whispered. Gaara looked at her and smirked with a shake of the head. He laid her back down and brushed her cheek softly with his fingertips. Shiruki closed her eyes and fell asleep with her personal "guardian angel" by her side.

Three days had passed and Shiruki finally gave in to Nikkaku's demands to help her heal. Shiruki's ribs were no longer bruised, her lips were back to normal, and her head still had aches every now and then, but for the most part, the gash was gone. Today was the day Naruto, Konohamaru, Gaara, and Shiruki were to do something together. They all decided on the lake. Currently, Shiruki and Gaara stood outside her door, hugging and kissing every once in a while, waiting for the two hyperactive "twins."

Naruto and Konohamaru ran up to them and saw their little make-out session. Konohamaru blushed, whereas Naruto just rolled his eyes. He was used to it with Iruka and Kakashi. He cleared his throat and the two lovers looked at him, Shiruki with a blush, Gaara with an annoyed glare. Naruto chuckled and nodded for them to come with him. They nodded and laced their fingers together.

They all walked to the lake, talking to each other and laughing here and then. Well, except for Gaara. He was just walking silently, shooting Shiruki suggestive stares that she picked up on instantly. She winked at him and mouthed "tonight" to him, causing a broad grin to grace the red head's features. She giggled quietly and returned her rather divided attention back to Naruto and Konohamaru.

Once they made it to the lake, Shiruki gasped at the sight. Her hand came up over her mouth and her eyes were wide. It was a beautiful sight. The lake was sparkling crystal blue. The sun set over it. But what caught her attention was the trees and bushes and clearing. On trees were red flowers dangling on white banners that read "Congratulations." This perplexed her for a moment. What could they be congratulating for? And more importantly, _who_ were they congratulating? As she looked on, she saw a red ribbon hanging from a tree with a note attached to it. A heart stamp sealing the envelope. She tried to walk over to it, but Gaara tightened his hold on her. She looked up at him curiously and saw him shake his head with a smirk. Something was definitely up. She brushed it off and continued to take in the sight. On the bushes were more red flowers. And, of course, how could she miss the people standing under the "Congratulations" banner. Among the people were Kakashi and Iruka holding hands, Shino and Kiba with their arms around each other, Ino and Sakura with their arms around each other, Tsunade and Shizune with their arms crossed, Akamaru on Kiba's head, Hinata and Naruto holding hands, Neji sitting in front of everyone with his arms crossed next to TenTen, Temari and Shikamaru holding each other, Kankuro grinning like a maniac, Jiraiya smiling pervertedly, of course with his arm wrapped around Tsunade's shoulders, Kurenai standing next to Asuma, and Choji eating chips next to Konohamaru. Shiruki raised a brow at this. "Um...what's going on?" she asked cautiously.

Everyone wore grins and their attention seemed to be on Gaara. She followed their stared and looked at Gaara. He just smirked at her and took her to the clearing. The clearing had red rose petals and full roses scattered around it. Everyone was arched around it, as if expecting something to happen. Gaara led her to it and stopped in the middle. She started to panic. Her breathing increased as she surveyed her surroundings. She looked up at Gaara with fear and saw him smirking affectionately back at her. He held her hands in his and Shiruki glanced back at the others to see all their eyes on them. She blushed furiously at the attention and turned back to Gaara when he pulled her closer a little. Icy blue met icy blue as they stared at each other for a while. "G-Gaara?" she whispered. He was staring intently at her. She had never seen such love and admiration before. Well, except when they made love. But that was different. She almost felt a little uneasy.

Gaara smirked and talked loud enough so only she heard. "Shiruki, I've been thinking while you were asleep," he said honestly. Shiruki urged him on with an unsure nod. "Remember when I told you a while back...that I wanted to live the rest of my life with you?" he asked quietly. Shiruki nodded hesitantly. She didn't know why, but she had some major butterflies right now. She remembered all too clearly when he said that. It was around the time she realized she was-

Shiruki's eyes widened. She stifled a gasp and tried to calm herself. He might not be getting to _that_. It's just her overactive imagina-

Gaara got down on one knee and pulled out a ring from behind his Suna headband on his hip. He held it out to her and smirked. "Marry me," he whispered.

Shiruki was floored. Her face turned redder than the guy's hair! Her eyes were narrow slits and wider than a UFO. Her breathing stopped. Suddenly it was all too quiet. She heard everyone's breathing hitch as well. They knew. They heard. They were expecting an answer from her. Temari and Kankuro, however, looked on knowingly. She couldn't form a single coherent thought. She froze. She would have fainted right there if not for reality slapping her in the face. She blinked and tears came from nowhere as she stared into her loving Kazekage's eyes. This had taken alot of guts to do it in front of the whole village. A tear fell onto her hand and she nodded enthusiastically. She let the tears fall freely as she hugged him tightly, falling to her knees as well. She basically glomped him! "Yes!" she screamed through tears. She kissed him lovingly, pouring all her love and passion into that one kiss. "YES! I love you so much!" she cried louder.

Everyone cheered and threw up rose petals they had been concealing. Gaara smiled genuinely at her and Shiruki felt her heart melt. Such a beautiful smile. And it was all hers. All for her. No one else. Gaara was hers. He slipped the ring on her finger and she didn't hesitate to tackle him to the ground again. She cried into his chest and Gaara wrapped his arms around her softly.

Temari and Kankuro walked over and knelt down so only the two heard them. "All of Suna await your arrival," Temari whispered with a suggestive wink. Shiruki must not have heard because she was still clinging to Gaara. She laughed lightly and Kankuro smirked.

"Well, little brother, seems you actually listened to my advice, neh?" he asked, winking at his little brother pervertedly.

Gaara blushed and glared at his older sibling. "I would never follow your advice. Even if you paid me," he said coldly with playful smirk. Kankuro laughed and Temari didn't even want to know what was going on. "We'll head back and wait for you there, alright?" he asked. Gaara nodded and Shiruki remained clutched desperately to his chest. "Seems we need to pry her off sometime," Kankuro joked as him and Temari took off back to Suna.

TBC

A/N: alright...about one or two more chapters and then the epilogue...this story has been fun R&R


	34. The Kazekage and his Bride

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine

**Chapter 33: The Kazekage and his Bride**

It had been almost a week since Gaara proposed and Shiruki accepted. All of Suna was surprisingly happy that Gaara was getting married. Especially to another Demon carrier. They did not fear them anymore, seeing as how Gaara showed he would put his life on the line for his village, and has before with the whole apprentice ordeal. This had no doubt cleared all fear and suspicions of the Kazekage. They no longer thought of him as a weapon, but as an equal. As a leader. And as family. Kids approached him when he was with Shiruki and shouted how much they were thankful for what he did and how much they looked up to the two of them. And how lucky he was to have such a pretty girlfriend. He smirked at the children. They still called him cute names like "panda-san" and "tenuki-sama." Shiruki thought it was utterly adorable of them. She found it breathtaking to see how much the village now looked up to him instead of cowering in fear of him like they used to. The village had went through a significant change for the good and she was not questioning why or how. She was just happy her and Gaara would not be looked down upon anymore.

Today was the day of the wedding. Temari and Kankuro took care of all the preparations, even sending out escorts for those who wanted to come from Konoha. Gaara wanted to have the wedding in Konoha originally, but Temari and Kankuro quickly reminded him that the Kazekage must be married in Suna for it to be official. And plus, all the villagers wanted to be present. Gaara found all these preparations rather stressful and not at all pleasant. Given, he didn't have to wear these stupid garments that normal men had to. He was allowed to wear his Kazekage garbs, but what he was anxious and impatient to see...was Shiruki. He had not seen his love for three days. Every time he tried to get close to her, Temari ended up dragging her away, and Kankuro dragging him. It annoyed him, but Kankuro quickly reminded him of Temari's temper and superstition about the whole "bad luck" thing. Gaara let it go eventually and just stopped trying after a while. Given, they shared a room together, but as of late, they did not. Temari had Shiruki sleep with her and Gaara by himself with Kankuro on close watch of his room. They weren't even allowed to see each other to perform the jutsu on each other. Temari basically had a ball and chain around Shiruki, whereas Kankuro had a close and steady watch on his little brother.

Many a time had Gaara and Shiruki tried to sneak out to see each other. Gaara got caught by Kankuro. It resulted in Kankuro taking his brother by surprise and shoving him back in his room with his puppet. Kankuro finally had someone put a jutsu on the door so Gaara could not open it.

Shiruki always got caught by Temari and was whacked over the head with her huge fan. Shiruki started to fight back, but Temari easily overpowered her. Nikkaku stopped helping, seeing it in her best interest to listen to the blond. Shiruki sighed and eventually gave up, though.

Today was the day! Today was the day Shiruki would finally be wed to the Kazekage. The day where she got to see Gaara again, face to face. How she missed her silent red head. And she was sure he missed her as well. It drove her nuts to have to stay away for so long. She felt as if she were going through some sort of Gaara withdrawal. And it sucked. Royally!

She paced anxiously in Temari's room, waiting for her new sister to hurry up and return to help her get ready. She was no doubt keeping a watch on the people from Konoha that were supposed to be arriving today. She rolled her eyes. She had put on the stupid dress, that she looked simply breath taking in, might she add, and now she had nothing better to do but to wait. Waiting was not her strong suit. She could literally feel where she paced a hole in the floor. Deciding she needed to calm down, she sat on the bed with her arms crossed.

A knock and an opening of the door came and she perked up, hoping it was her Kazekage. No such luck. It was Shizune, Sakura, Ino, Iruka, Temari, Hinata, TenTen, Kurenai, Tsunade, and Konohamaru. She sighed and plopped back down on the bed in disappointment. Everyone ogled the demon carrier's dress. They suddenly burst into a chorus together which scared the hell out of Shiruki. "Shiru-chan looks so beautiful!!!!" they screamed.

Shiruki jumped and tried to edge away from them. Temari walked over to her alongside Iruka, Tsunade, and Kurenai and smiled. Shiruki looked up at them pitifully. Temari must have read her expression. "It's only for a few hours, Shiruki. Deal with the dress," Temari grumbled. Shiruki sighed and nodded, standing up with help from Iruka. He twirled her and smiled at how gorgeous she was. Temari sighed and put her hand on Shiruki's shoulder. Shiruki looked up at her curiously. She noticed a look in her eyes. Oh great. A big sister lecture on how beautiful she looks and how she's so happy for her. Temari smirked and led her to a chair. "Come on, Shiru-chan. Time for make-up!" she grinned. Shiruki didn't know why that suddenly struck fear in her heart. Temari forcefully pushed her into the chair and Shiruki fixed it so she was comfortable. Temari started to look through her make-up. She sighed. "Ino, get me the eyeliner," she commanded. "Sakura, the eye shadow," she continued. Both girls left the room. She sighed again. "Kurenai, lipstick. Iruka, cover up. Hinata...hair pins and accessories. Tsunade, mascara. TenTen, shoes. Konohamaru and Shizune, jewelry. It's down the hall on your right," she ordered. All left to retrieve their items. Seeing that they were alone, Temari smiled sincerely at her future sister. "I knew this day would come," she started to say.

Shiruki sighed and nodded. "Really now," she said with boredom. Temari nodded. "What makes you think you knew?" she smirked.

Temari just laughed and started to brush Shiruki's hair. Shiruki closed her eyes contently. She always loved it when someone played with her hair. It was another calming thing to her. Temari hit a knot and Shiruki flinched a little. She apologized quietly and continued to brush the younger girl's hair. "Well, for starters...you and Gaara were inseparable. You slept over almost every night, you always hung out during the day, you practically lived with us, Shiruki!" Temari laughed.

Shiruki sighed and nodded. "That's because I didn't have a family, remember?" she asked sadly.

Temari sighed and hugged her from behind. "Well, ya do now!" she laughed lightly. Shiruki smiled and nodded. The rest returned and Temari started to turn into a female Iruka. She no doubt made a perfect mother hen. No wonder Kankuro was intimidated by her. She was too motherly. "Alright, guys! We have an hour before we're expected in the middle of town," she informed them. They all nodded. Temari spun Shiruki around and went to work with her hair. Shiruki winced a few times at the yanking and pulling, but let up when her scalp adapted to it reluctantly.

"Shiru-chan is so gorgeous!" screeched Sakura. Ino smirked and put her arm around her girlfriend. "Makes me jealous of Gaara!" she teased.

Ino rolled her eyes. "What? I'm not good enough for you, billboard brow?" she teased.

"Zip it, Ino-pig!" she teased back. This resulted in the two girls kissing. Iruka smiled at the two. Shiruki just grumbled and rolled her eyes with a slight blush.

_With Gaara and the seme/males..._

"Come on, Gaara!" whined Kankuro. Currently, Gaara secluded himself in his room. He sat on his bed with his arms crossed over his chest. "Stop being a brat and come out!" he growled, kicking the door.

-Minutes before-

"So, Gaara, how about we have a little male-on-male bonding time?" Kankuro offered in the presence of Kiba, Shino, Kakashi, Shikamaru, Naruto, Neji, Choji, Asuma, Jiraiya, and Akamaru. Gaara nodded reluctantly and Kankuro smirked. "Great!" he smiled. Kankuro put his arm around his younger brother's shoulders and led him into his room, all the guys in tow. As soon as they hit Kankuro's room, he reached under his bed and plopped a stack of magazines on his bed for all the guys to see. All except Shino, Naruto, and Neji looked, or should Gaara say, drooled over the covers. This was Kankuro's porno. Gaara stared at them with his face lit up. These were the same blasted things that Kankuro used to teach him sex education with. The same ones that sent Gaara into a fit with a nosebleed.

Recognizing the same one that had done it, his eyes hardened and he glared at Kankuro. He turned on his heel quickly and left Kankuro's room, Naruto, Neji, and Shino in tow. They all went into Gaara's room where Gaara locked and sand locked the door. He would be damned if he got another nosebleed before his wedding.

-Present time-

"Come on, Gaara!" Kankuro pleaded from the other side.

Gaara glared daggers at the door, as did Neji. How despicable his brother was. Neji glanced at Gaara and rolled his eyes. "Your brother's an idiot," he stated simply. Gaara nodded and continued to look out the window.

Naruto observed him for a few moments. He looked uncomfortably straight and irate. He smiled in recognition. Gaara was nervous. He walked up to the red headed teen and put his hand comfortingly on his shoulder. Gaara looked at Naruto. His eyes held surprise but quickly vanished into his infamous glare. "It's okay to be nervous," Naruto whispered so only he could hear. Gaara didn't know what to make of this so he just nodded. Naruto understood. Gaara was thankful. Naruto smiled at Gaara and looked out the window with him. "Ya know..." Naruto started. Gaara looked at him. "I'm really happy you and Shiru-chan are together. You're possibly the only one to ever make her happy, Gaara," Naruto said simply.

Neji nodded, as did Shino and Gaara saw them. Was this their idea of a pep talk? Whatever it was, Gaara didn't feel as nervous anymore. That is, until he heard his idiot brother on the other side of the door again. "Yo, Gaara! Me and the other guys are leaving to get there early to help set up. Remember. You have ten minutes!" he said and then it was silent again.

Gaara didn't know why, but he suddenly felt a new wave of anxiety wash over him. He let the sand off the door and tensed a little. Naruto chuckled and patted Gaara's back a little before ushering the other guys out with him, leaving the Kazekage to his thoughts.

With Shiruki and the girls 

Shiruki looked in the mirror at the finished result of Temari's handiwork. Her eyes widened. She looked beautiful. She looked like a goddess. Gaara would certainly be happy. She was about to cry when Temari intervened. "Hey, hey, hey!! No crying! You'll smudge your make-up! Whaddya wanna do?! Walk down the aisle looking like Corpse Bride or something!?" she teased, dabbing the corners of Shiruki's eyes softly with the tip of her finger. She knew how she felt though. Shiruki looked absolutely stunning.

Her hair was pulled back into a tight spiky bun with some side hairs and bangs framing her face. The cover up made her face a bit lighter and gave it that heavenly glow Temari was so fond of. The black eyeliner matched and emphasized her eyes beautifully. She wore very trace amounts of pink blush on her cheeks, just enough to make her look alive. She wore cherry red lipstick with a light red eyeshadow with a tail to wards the outer part of her eyes. She wore a black choker with Gaara's famed "love" symbol in the middle. The dress came off her shoulders and dipped to a "V" in the middle of her chest. It showed minimal cleavage and was tight around her torso and arms, looping around her middle fingers. Her nails were the black. The bottom of the dress hung loosely. It was shorter in the front, showing off from a little above her knees and down. It ruffled down to a long back. Her shoes tied at the ankles with a cute bow in the back. Of course, high heeled shoes. In the back of the dress was a big bow, like Temari's. The loose ends hung down to her lower thighs, almost at the back of her knees. Seeing how Shiruki hated the color white, Temari had it altered for her. The color of the dress was a deep red, almost blood red, just like Shiruki liked it.

Temari saw her eying the dress and smiled proudly. "How you like?" she smirked. Shiruki smirked in response. "Take that as an 'Oh my god, Temari! How wonderful it is!' huh?" Temari teased.

Shiruki snickered and hugged her future sister gently. "Thank you," she whispered. Everyone had long dispersed, leaving the two behind. Of course, Kakashi was to show up soon to lead her down the aisle because he was the closest to a father figure she had. As soon as Kakashi showed up, Temari would take her leave and run to the assembly.

As if on cue, Kakashi stepped through the door, fixing his outfit. Shiruki and Temari exchanged glances and smirked. He just got done "playing" with Iruka. They burst into a giggle fit and Kakashi scratched the back of his head. "Sorry-"

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry you're late. Hurry up and escort your daughter, _dad_," Temari teased, leaving the room and rushing off to the ceremony.

Kakashi looked at Shiruki and smiled kindly at her. "You look beautiful," he commented. Shiruki blushed and nodded her thanks. Kakashi smiled and chuckled, offering his arm for her to take. She did, and they were off in no time. Of course, they used the teleportation technique Kakashi favored. Hopefully when they arrived, her dress wouldn't fly every which way. She'd have to kill her "father" if that were to happen. She loved the guys of Konoha and Suna like family, but she didn't want the whole male gender to see what kind of underwear she wore.

As planned, they arrived just in time. Music was playing and Kakashi and Shiruki appeared behind the curtains that were hung delicately along the doorway of the building they were to come out of. People were strewn alongside the streets, anxiously awaiting the bride. All of a sudden, Shiruki felt rather sick. She covered her mouth and forced herself to calm down. Hopefully, it was just her nerves. She brushed it aside as anxiety and vaguely heard Kakashi ask her if she was ready to go. Shiruki nodded a silent response and in a matter of seconds, Kakashi picked up the curtain to escort Shiruki under it and into the street, in front of all of Suna and the select few from Konoha.

They walked ceremoniously down the "aisle" and Kakashi kissed Shiruki's forehead gently, before handing her off to Gaara. Gaara nodded appreciatively at Kakashi and Kakashi took his seat next to Iruka in the front. Shiruki smiled timidly at Gaara surveying her like a hawk would its prey. She saw the hunger in his eyes, as well as the admiration and undying love. His eyes found hers again as they faced each other before turning to the "minister." The music ceased and it fell deathly quiet. Someone dropped a pin, it'd be heard. The man in front of the future newlyweds smiled and cleared his throat. "We are gathered here today to partake in the holy union of these two beings."

Shiruki tuned him out and thought of how uncomfortable she was to be stared at. She could literally feel the stares on her back. It made her nervous, yet it made her giddy at the same time. Not once had anyone paid this much attention to her before. She was brought back to her conscious when it was her turn to speak. "I-I do," she said quietly and rather terrified. The "minister" smiled at her lovingly.

They were facing each other and Gaara had slid the ring on her finger. She blushed and waited for further instruction. They were given to her and Gaara said his "I do." With those words, Shiruki slipped the ring on his finger. His eyes never left Shiruki's.

"Then with the power invested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride," he said, finishing his whole banter.

Gaara eagerly stepped forward and gently touched Shiruki's jawline, pulling her into the kiss. Their lips touched and sparks were renewed. Everyone cheered and Shiruki jumped a little. All kinds of things fell on the two. Rice, confetti, sake...you name it. Gaara and Shiruki linked arms and walked away and to wards the Kazekage tower, pausing momentarily for Shiruki to throw the bouquet backward. She peeked over her shoulder and saw that it was Temari who had caught it. She stood next to Shikamaru and Shiruki noticed blushes on the both of them. Shiruki and Gaara exchanged glances before continuing on their way. The next couple to get hitched...what a wedding and a half that would be!

TBC

A/N: Next chapter is strictly lemon. Of course, you HAVE to have the ceremonial sex with being newlyweds XD I kill myself sometimes...but there will be one other chapter after the lemon, the epilogue...I'm almost gonna miss this story...TT Oh well...it was fun while it lasted. To all my loyal readers, thank you R&R


	35. Don't Ever Leave Me

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine

**Chapter 34: Don't Ever Leave Me**

Shiruki sat on the bed of hers and Gaara's new room and played with her hair. She had just now taken it down and found all the troublesome bobby pins and clips. She looked at the bedside table and sighed dramatically. So many pins. No wonder her head was killing her when Temari fixed her hair. She had shed her dress long ago, leaving her in a blood red half top that stopped below her breasts, showing off her stomach perfectly. The sleeves, of course, looped around her middle fingers. It was shoulder-less and had a heart cut out in the center of her chest, revealing cleavage. Her bottoms, she had not bothered to put on. She currently sat in black bikini styled underwear, showing off Gaara's mark perfectly. She was waiting for said red head to get out of the shower. She went over to the mirror and started to remove the layers of make-up.

Minutes ticked by slowly and Shiruki stared distastefully at the mounds of tissue that had the make-up that had clouded her face all day on it. There were stacks and stacks of it. Could you say...overkill? Shiruki stared at herself in the mirror. Her hands rested under her chin as she stared stoically at her reflection. Nothing had changed. Except, her complexion seemed to have taken on a glowing look. She looked almost heavenly. She was soon lost in a daydream and, before she knew it, arms wrapped around her shoulders and a kiss was planted ever so softly on her cheek. She snapped from her daze and now focused on an image of Gaara holding her and staring at her in the reflection lovingly. Not a trace amount of lust in his eyes. At least...not yet. Shiruki brought her hands up to rest on his forearms as she smiled back at the reflection. She saw the corners of his lips twitch and turn upward. He was happy. Shiruki was happy. All of Suna and Konoha was happy. Everything worked out for the better.

Shiruki sighed contently as Gaara placed another feather-light kiss on her cheek. He trailed it down to her neck and lingered for a while. She could still feel the moistness of his skin. It was sinfully arousing. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back on his shoulder. He smirked against her skin and kissed her jawline one more time before letting go. She whined at the loss and turned to face him, still sitting. Gaara stood there in all his glory, wet, and half naked. He wore form fitting black boxers. He wasn't hard, but one could still tell he was well endowed. Shiruki's eyes didn't even wander down to that part of his body. She was still waged in a war of staring lovingly at her new Kazekage husband. He held out his hand to her and she took it without breaking eye contact. He helped her up and their chests touched. Gaara let his hand rest on her hip at the small of her back and Shiruki watched as he looked at their hands. He allowed his hand to circle hers and grab ahold of her wrist. He placed it around his neck and Shiruki allowed her other hand to do the same. He ran his hand down her arm and down her side, resting it on her other hip. The action was so intimate, so loving, that Shiruki could have sworn, if she didn't know him for as long as she did, that this was not Gaara. No words were spoken. No words needed to be spoken.

Gaara leaned in for a kiss. As soon as his lips touched Shiruki's, she felt a sudden fluttering in both her chest and her stomach. She let out a content whimper and Gaara touched his tongue to her lips, sliding it across the slit until she opened for him. She did and when their tongues touched, Shiruki's grip around his neck tightened possessively, as if he'd leave at any time. Gaara broke the kiss a minute later to look at Shiruki. He grabbed her hands in his gently and started to lead her to the bathroom. "Come with me," he smirked.

Shiruki smiled and followed, suppressing a whine. He escorted her into the bathroom where she saw red rose petals in the bathtub and candles lighting the room dimly. She was almost brought to tears at this beautiful sight. It was all too romantic. Her eyes fell on her husband to see his eyes shining angelically in the dim lighting. She smiled softly at him. "Gaara...what is this?" she asked with a small smile.

Gaara smirked and pulled her flush against him. He kissed her forehead and looked down at her. "A bath," he said sarcastically. Shiruki laughed a little and shook her head. "Get in," he urged her, walking backward with her against him. She followed and stopped in front of the tub. She looked at the water quizzically before looking back at Gaara. As if reading her mind, Gaara smirked. "Not this time. I already bathed," he said with a smirk.

Shiruki whined cutely and snapped her fingers before smiling. She shrugged and sighed softly. She slid her fingers out of the loops in the middle fingers and started to strip from her shirt. This was easily accomplished and she peeked at Gaara to see his full attention on her. She smiled and covered her bare breasts playfully. "My, my...Gaara is a pervert," she teased. Gaara smirked and walked up to her. They stared at each other longingly. He brought his hand up to run it along her cheek and down to her neck. He traced her skin softly down her shoulders and slid to her upper back. They shared another kiss and Gaara hooked his finger in her underwear. She helped him slide them off and step out of them, breaking the kiss momentarily. He kissed her chastely and nudged her into the tub. She stayed. "Are you sure you don't want to join me?" she asked with the irresistibly famous pout that always worked on the Kazekage. Gaara stared at her and shook his head. She sighed and smiled nonetheless. "Alright...you win..." she sighed. She stepped into the tub and shivered as the warm water surrounded her being. She leaned back with a sigh and Gaara knelt at the side. He crossed his arms on the tub and smiled at his love taking pleasure in the simple things. She opened an eye to peek at him and saw him staring intently at her. She giggled and blushed. "Geez, Gaara...if I didn't know any better...I'd say you were checking me out," she winked. Gaara snickered and flicked a rose petal onto her nose. She blew at it cutely and giggled when she saw Gaara cover his mouth, silencing his laughter. She smiled and started to bathe herself. It was then that Gaara started to undress. He slipped in behind her and took over washing her hair. He started to scrub his favorite rose scented shampoo into her scalp, massaging her gently. Shiruki let out a sigh and closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. He finished and she rinsed. Suds and roses now floated on the water. She blushed as she saw Gaara reach for the rose scented soap. "Uh...Gaara? What're you-"

Gaara smirked and shushed her delicately. He lathered it up and started to let his hands roam over her body. He dragged his hand down her arms and paid special attention to the underside of her breasts. He kissed her neck gently and Shiruki's breathing became erratic. He continued to drag his hands lower, slowing closing in on each other as they neared her femininity under the water. He stopped just below her belly button and dragged them back up. He rounded her breasts again, teasing her by not touching her. "Gaara...stop teasing," she said in a raspy voice. Gaara just smirked and continued his actions, slowly working his way in to her nipples. His fingers brushed against them briefly and Shiruki moaned. "Gaara!" she moaned. "I don't know how much more...I can take," she moaned.

Gaara smirked and nuzzled his nose to her ear. "You're fine..." he whispered in that seductive voice of his. He finished lathering her up and she rinsed. Gaara made to get out of the tub, leaving a hot and heavy Shiruki to sit there, panting. He quickly dried off and Shiruki caught a glimpse of his manhood. The bastard wasn't even hard! He quickly dressed and turned back to his wife. He held out his hand to her and she seemed so entranced by the water glistening on his body that she took his hand in a daze, unaware of what she was doing. He helped her out of the tub and started to dry her off with the towel, paying special attention, yet again, to her feminine parts, teasing her even more. She glared at him and Gaara pretended to not see it. He wrapped her up in the towel and escorted her into the bedroom.

Shiruki turned on him and threw her arms around his neck. Before she could plant her lips on his, Gaara caught her with his finger on her lips. She whined and bit his finger. "I am really not liking you right now, Sabaku no Gaara," she growled. Gaara smirked and retracted his finger from her mouth. He kissed her softly and Shiruki just stood there, following his lead. She obviously didn't know where she stood at the moment. Gaara was, once again, in control of everything. Not like she minded, but it got annoying when you were sexually teased and left then teased again. It got rather nerve wracking, especially when your body begged for release.

She felt herself being backed up onto the bed and she suddenly hit it. She stopped and Gaara smirked against her lips, giving another slight push, making her fall on her back on the bed. Gaara held onto the towel, however, leaving her bare and naked on the bed in a very, in Gaara's opinion, sexy position. He observed her for a minute before shrugging and straddling her. He began his torture again and nipped at her neck softly, earning a low moan from Shiruki. She arched into him, but Gaara refused to continue lower. She whined and begged him, but he would not give in to her demands. He uttered one word: "Patience." Shiruki whined and sighed. She nodded reluctantly and tried to tell herself mentally not to give into his sexual advances. She failed miserably. Everything Gaara did set off something inside of her. A kiss on the neck, a nip on the collarbone, a sliding touch down her shoulder, everything. It was as if her senses shot through the roof.

Gaara trailed his hands down her hips and down to her thighs where he started to finger the insides of her thighs. Shiruki moaned at the feeling and spread her legs further. Gaara felt her heat on his navel and had to refrain from just thrusting into her like a rabid animal. Instead, he inserted a finger into her feminine folds. She writhed beneath him, arching into his hand. "Gaara," she whined. The look in her eyes was a pleading one. She wouldn't last much longer if he kept teasing her like this. Gaara hovered above Shiruki and she suddenly snatched Gaara's towel off of him, leaving him naked as well. Gaara looked down and then back at Shiruki who wore a smirk. Gaara raised a nonexistent brow and smirked at his eager lover. Shiruki felt another finger being inserted and she couldn't take it anymore. She threw him on the bed next to her and straddled him. Gaara looked rather surprised at this, but the emotion was quickly replaced with amusement. She started riding his hand and Gaara couldn't help but relish the sight. It was damn near sexy what his lover was doing right now. The look on her face, the blush on her cheeks, everything was ten times better than last time they made love. Shiruki removed Gaara's fingers and placed him at her entrance. She wasted no time in impaling herself on him, causing Gaara to arch under her. She lolled her head back and she calmed down a little while she gained her breath back. She looked down at Gaara and he saw relief flutter into her icy blue eyes. She bent down and kissed him softly. He returned the kiss and grabbed her hips securely. He gripped them tightly and pulled her down further while thrusting his hips upward, earning a loud moan from Shiruki. She looked down at him and started to shiver. She smiled. "No more teasing?" she panted.

Gaara smirked. He flipped her on her back again and kissed her neck. "No more teasing," he confirmed seductively. Shiruki wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. Gaara sat back on his knees and grabbed ahold of Shiruki's hips again. He started to pick her up and slam her back down while thrusting up at the same time. Shiruki moaned louder than before, if it were at all possible, and grabbed ahold of Gaara's shoulder for support. Gaara latched onto her collarbone and continued to impale her on his cock. When he couldn't take it anymore, he laid her on her back again and started to thrust into her swiftly, earning more moans and gasps from his lover. "Shiruki," he muttered as he took her breast in his hand and planting a kiss on her lips roughly.

Shiruki moaned and arched into him, digging her nails into his shoulder blades. "Gaara!" she moaned in ecstasy. Pure bliss. She hadn't felt this good in a long time. She felt her climax swiftly approaching and she bit into his shoulder. Gaara grunted and increased his speed, feeling her tell him she neared her finale. His thrusts became rougher and deeper, not to mention faster, thrusting deeper and harder with each impalement. Shiruki was no longer moaning; she was screaming. You'd think she was being brutally murdered. Shiruki pulled Gaara close, as close as she could, and moaned one last time before climaxing loudly. Gaara thrust in a few more times, feeling her muscles clench and tighten around him sporadically and came inside her. He collapsed onto his elbows, resting his head on her shoulder to catch his breath. Shiruki shakily brought her hand up to his cheek and Gaara looked at him, quivering himself. Sweat mingled, breaths collided, bodies entwined, hearts raced. Shiruki had a tired, yet loving smile on her face as she panted. Her hand shook on his cheek and he kissed her palm lazily. "I love you, Gaara," she said in a quivering voice.

Gaara pulled out of her weakly and laid on his side, pulling her into him. "Aishiteru...Shiruki," he whispered, covering them up and holding her close.

Shiruki lazily performed the demon sealing jutsu on her new husband and Gaara repeated it in the same manor. They were about to go to sleep when a banging came at the door. Shiruki and Gaara decided to ignore it until they heard snickers and grumbles on the other side of the door. "Congratulations, you two! You managed to wake all of Suna!" Temari yelled on the other side of the door. Shiruki blushed furiously and Gaara snickered. Shiruki and Gaara started to laugh loudly. Whoops!

A/N: Epilogue is the last chapter! That is the last chapter in the Together With You series! Thanks to all my readers!


	36. Epilogue: New Beginnings

Disclaimer: Final disclaimer of this story: Naruto is not mine! If it was, Sasori would not have died and neither would Deidara. In fact, they'd be lovers And also- is gagged and tied up by Akatsuki members Aww...those guys are no fun...

**Epilogue: New Beginnings**

Gaara walked down the streets of Suna, getting a much deserved break from his bothersome paperwork. Though his wife, the Miss Kazekage, had helped him with most of it and kept him company, she would not be there all the time. In fact, he was on his way to meet her. She had told him to be in the center of town after he was finished with the minor, yet troublesome, paperwork. And on the way he was. He passed by many villagers and noticed all of them shooting him grateful, appreciative, and respectful looks. Not to mention looks of admiration from the younger future Sand-nin. Gaara just smirked back and nodded in acknowledgment. Things were getting better as the days progressed.

It had been five years since the apprentice incident. Sound village seemed to have called a truce. Either that, or they are too scared to fight Suna and Konoha again. Gaara thought it to be the latter. Temari had married Shikamaru, Kankuro was dating a Suna-nin that specialized in medicine, and Gaara and Shiruki were-

"Daddy!" a young girl's voice called as she ran toward Gaara. She latched onto his leg and hugged him tightly. Gaara smiled down at her and picked her up in his arms. "You're late!" she pouted. Gaara snickered lightly and looked at her. Completely identical to Shiruki. She had long black hair with red streaks in the bangs, mostly. Her eyes were the same icy blue as Shiruki's and Gaara's. She wore clothes identical to Gaara's, varying in color. Where Gaara's was blue, the girl's was red.

"Gomen, Tatsuki," he said softly. "Where's your mother?" he asked, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

Tatsuki giggled and hugged Gaara tightly, squirming her way onto his shoulders. Gaara felt her rest her hands on his head and point ahead. He held onto her legs that were placed on his shoulders and looked up at her with a grin. "That way!" she smiled.

Gaara nodded and started walking off toward the direction his daughter pointed. Tatsuki looked around the village and earned smiled and waves from many. She looked down at Gaara and hugged him tight. "I love you, Daddy," she said cutely.

Gaara smirked and sighed. "I guess I love you too, Tatsuki," he said playfully.

"Aww! That's no fun! You're supposed to say 'I love you too, Tatsuki!' Not 'I guess!' Geez, Dad..." she pouted again.

Gaara chuckled and looked up at her. "Fine. I love you too, Tatsuki," he said softly. Tatsuki smiled and looked forward again.

Gaara walked a little further and Tatsuki started to squirm. Gaara put her down and watched her run off and hug a woman happily. He stared on, slowly approaching the woman and small boy near her. The woman had black hair like Tatsuki's streaked all over with red. It was tied, Neji-style, in the back and she wore a tight long sleeved blood red half shirt that stopped a little below her breasts. On top of that shirt was mesh. She wore black hip huggers with a sort of half skirt that stopped at her upper thighs, splitting in the front. Her shoes were those of typical Sand-nin. The woman turned to him and smiled sweetly. This was Shiruki. She appeared to not have aged a day. She was still beautiful and still physically attractive. Gaara was amazed how many people took notice of her in Suna. He was also amazed at how many he had to threaten and glare at. The woman turned to face Gaara completely and held her arms out for an embrace. Gaara increased his speed and embraced her, picking her up and spinning them. Villagers looked on as Shiruki and Gaara shared a short, yet still passionate, kiss. The boy stood quietly and Tatsuki made a "blech" noise. Shiruki giggled and looked down at her. "Oh shush, Tsuki. You'll be doing this one day," she winked.

Tatsuki scrunched her nose in disgust. "No way! That's so gross!" she whined.

The boy spoke up after a few minutes. "Grow up," he said simply.

Shiruki and Gaara exchanged glances. "Don't you start, Shiruki," Gaara said, rolling his eyes. He looked down at the red headed boy after releasing Shiruki. He knelt in front of him and smirked.

The boy glared at Gaara and kept his arms crossed. "What?" he asked coldly. Shiruki giggled and picked the boy up. She nuzzled her cheek against his happily and the boy blushed. "Aww geez, Mom!" he whined, trying to push her away.

Shiruki giggled again and looked at her son. "Aww...but Shiro-chan..." she whined, pouting cutely.

Gaara looked on at the scene of his son and wife playing. He smirked and Tatsuki tugged at his Kazekage garbs. He looked down at her and knelt to her height. "Um...Daddy?" she asked quietly, looking at her feet, kicking rocks. Gaara tilted his head. "Um...can I...um...Can I spend the night at Aya's house?" she asked with a small blush resembling her mother.

Gaara smirked and nodded. "Alright. Your mother and I will be there to pick you up at 1 a.m."

Tatsuki's face dropped and she flailed her arms wildly. "What?! Dad, that's too early! You'll wake everyone up and-"

Gaara cut her off with a snicker. "Calm down, Tsuki. We'll be there tomorrow afternoon," he said with a small grin. Tatsuki smiled and nodded before hugging her dad. He hugged her back and saw Shiruki looking at him warmly with Shiro staring on with a smile also. His hair was as red as Gaara's with Shiruki's black streaks in it. He had the same eyes as Shiruki and Gaara, complete with the tanuki circles under his eyes. They were self inflicted though. He constantly bugged his mom to use her eyeliner on him to make him look more like his dad. Gaara smirked at them when Tatsuki pulled away and ran off after kissing her dad on the cheek as a goodbye. He stood and sighed.

"Hey, Dad?" Shiro called from Shiruki's arms. Gaara looked at him and raised a nonexistent brow. "Can I go with Nami to Konoha tomorrow?" he asked with a smile.

Gaara smirked and looked at Shiruki, who nodded her acceptance. Gaara looked back at Shiro. "Yes. How long will you be gone?" he asked quietly.

Shiro thought for a moment. Shiruki answered and smiled. "He'll be gone anywhere from six to seven days," she smiled at Gaara.

Gaara nodded. "Alright then. It's alright with me. Who's going?" he asked.

Shiruki smiled. "Aunt Temari and Uncle Kankuro are going to be escorting them along with Uncle Shika," she smiled, kissing Shiro's cheek. He wiped it off playfully and Gaara nodded his understanding and approval. "Alright then. Go ahead, Shiro-chan," she smiled, setting him down to go off with his friend. She turned back to Gaara and flung her arms around his neck. She kissed him lightly and leaned up to his ear. "We're going to be alone all night..." she whispered suggestively. Gaara grinned and they walked back home.

The End!

A/N: Alright...that's all folks. Thanks so much to all my readers and all those who commented! I really appreciate it. You have no idea. Lol Anyways! Thanks again! And R&R


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